Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

Traffic Management: Kent

Thursday 28 January 2021 · 2 questions

Summarised by AI from the official record, so it can contain mistakes.

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Answered 0 Partly answered 2 Not answered 0

Key points

  • The Department is working positively with local authorities through the Kent Resilience Forum.
  • Emergency measures were put in place after France's closure of the border before Christmas.
  • Providing lateral flow tests to 120,000 hauliers to cross the border was part of the response.

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 Natalie Elphicke
Transport
Context

The traffic situation in Dover and Kent has been severely impacted, leading to gridlock after France's closure of the border.

Question

What steps his Department is taking to ensure the effective management of traffic in (a) Dover and (b) Kent. The questioner worked positively with her right hon. Friend on the Keep Dover Clear strategy but was disappointed when Dover came to a standstill after France's unreasonable closure of the border.

Answer from Grant Shapps

The Department is working positively with local authorities through the Kent Resilience Forum. After France's closure of the border before Christmas, emergency measures were put in place, including providing lateral flow tests to 120,000 hauliers to cross the border.

Partly answered

Not addressed: The specific commitment to keep Dover clear under all circumstances was not reaffirmed.

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Q2 Natalie Elphicke
Immigration Transport
Context

The traffic situation in Dover and Kent has been severely impacted, leading to gridlock after France's closure of the border.

Question

Having worked so positively with my right hon. Friend and with the Under-Secretary, my hon. Friend the Member for Redditch (Rachel Maclean), over so many months on the Keep Dover Clear strategy, it was extremely disappointing that Dover came to halt and a standstill and faced gridlock following France's unreasonable closure of the border. Will my right hon. Friend reaffirm the Government's commitment to keep Dover clear so that whatever happens at the port of Dover or is done by the French, people can get around to work, to school and in their daily lives?

Answer from Grant Shapps

The hon. Friend's campaign on keeping Dover clear is recognised. Before Christmas, President Macron decided to close the border with no notice, leading to thousands of lorries gridlocking Kent. Emergency measures were put in place including providing lateral flow tests to 120,000 hauliers and French testing upon crossing.

Partly answered

Not addressed: The specific commitment to keep Dover clear under all circumstances was not reaffirmed.

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