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A clampdown on trucks parking in certain areas of Ashford, Kent has caused anger among drivers. But this is a problem with no easy solutions

- Dan Parton

Darren Street admits he had never seen anything like it: on 31 October his staff at Ashford International Truckstop had to turn away more than 250 drivers because the lorry park was full.

Thanks to a new initiative by Kent County Council (KCC) and Ashford Borough Council (ABC) to clamp and fine drivers, drivers in their hundreds were seeking out truckstops in the area to avoid the threat of falling foul of the policy.

The KCC and ABC scheme allows the authorities to clamp and fine drivers who park up in certain areas, including: the A20 between Charing and Ashford; Wotton Road; Ellingham Industrial Estate; The Orbital Park, Sevington; and Ashford Business Park, Sevington. The scheme runs between 8pm and 7am Monday to Friday and 24 hours on Saturday and Sunday on the industrial estates. The fine to get the truck released is £70.

Since that night, Ashford Truckstop has been routinely turning away numerous trucks and has not been less than 99% full, Street adds. For example, on 7 and 8 November, 162 and 169 trucks respectively were turned away. He adds that it is a similar situation at other truckstops in the county.

Understandably, Ashford International Truckstop’s real-time reservation system, Mytruckparking. com, has also become much busier.

“We started it in April and were getting up to 40 reservations a night from drivers,” Street says. “That now sits at about 110 per night.”

The truckstop has occasionally had to start turning away drivers from 7pm or so, which has, understandably, led to some anger. “So where do they go? You have to feel sorry for these guys because they get stuck,” says Street.

Started a petition