Lorry Park has "not been formally endorsed by Government" - e-petition response announced

6.00.00pm BST (GMT +0100) Sun 28th Jun 2009

Conservative Council leader Paul Carter announced his preferred Lorry Park site in spring 2008

10 Downing Street has responded to a petition raised by The Lorry Park Alliance.

The petition, posted 12 months ago, read

"We the undersigned petition the Prime Minister to press Kent County Council to release details of the alternative sites considered for the 'Stack' Lorry Park."

"Kent County Council released a press statement in early spring 2008 that a lorry park site, to deal with the problem of Operation Stack on the M20, was to be sited near the villages of Aldington, Smeeth, Sellindge, Mersham, Brabourne and others. The Lorry Park Alliance refutes the suggestion by Kent County Council that the proposed site is 'the most suitable'. This petition urges the Prime Minister to press Kent County Council into releasing details of the other sites that were considered and the reasons as to why they were rejected."

In its response the government stated that whilst Kent County Council had a preferred site this had not been formally endorsed by the government.

The government response in full was;

Government Ministers are well aware of the difficulties associated with Operation Stack and the impact it has both on the local residents and the economy and are keen that a viable solution is found.

The Government is aware of the announcement by Kent County Council of the authority's preferred site for a lorry park. We have been told that Kent County Council is undertaking a feasibility study of their favoured site and we are interested in the results.

The Kent lorry park option has not been formally endorsed by Government. Before any such proposal could become a reality, it would need to go through the formal planning and other statutory processes.

It would be inappropriate for the Government at this stage to comment on the merits of the Kent proposal or any other proposals because they might come before the Secretary of State for their consideration. Stakeholders and members of the public will be consulted on any proposals, so there will be opportunities to put forward your views during the consultation on Kent County Council's proposal.