New figures released by the Kent Resilience Forum have revealed that another 498 HGVs have been clamped in the region since the last update on January 20th.
In total, 690 lorries have now been clamped since Kent’s new strict parking rules came into force on January 1st.
As of January 20th, the figure was 192. This shows that the number of HGVs being clamped in Kent has risen from just under 10 per day in the first 20 days of 2021 to almost 25 per day in the last 20 days.
Naturally, the rise in the number of vehicles being clamped has coincided with an increase in the number of lorries moving in and out of the region.
The reports of trucks being clamped has understandably infuriated drivers, whose options for parking in the region are severely limited.
The Road Haulage Association announced yesterday that it had convinced Kent County Council to make the eastbound laybys along the A299 Thanet Way available to truckers. Although that will provide some sort of relief, the change is unlikely to wow lorry drivers operating in and out of the region.
Kent County Council nonetheless appear very satisfied with how they have gone about things. In a statement, Roger Gough, Leader of Kent County Council, praised the local authority’s pre-Brexit planning:
After all the uncertainty and change around leaving the EU, the fact that Kent has kept moving has been both a relief for local communities and a welcomed endorsement for our pre-Brexit planning. While the ports initially experienced lighter freight flows than normal, Kent Resilience Forum partners have still had to overcome a number of challenges. Whether it be responding to the latest Covid travel requirements and increasing testing facilities, accommodating drivers who test positive, or enforcing new regulations, I am proud to say Kent Police, Highways England, KCC, the Department of Transport, the military, our local councils and others working within the KRF, have risen to them all, together.
Photo credit: Kent Police