Less than a week after Kent County Council made news of its HGV parking ban public, several HGVs have been seen clamped at the side of the region’s roads.
According to the official documentation published by Kent County Council, the ban, as well as the reasons for introducing it, are as follows:
Following the end of the European Exit Transition Period, a Prohibition of Waiting for Prohibited Vehicles has been placed placed on all roads 24/7 on the above Districts and Boroughs in Kent [Canterbury, Dover, Folkestone & Hythe and Thanet] but excluding laybys off some roads.
Kent County Council as traffic authority hereby make the Order referred to above permanent as shown on the drawing accompanying this document for the following reasons:
- Avoid the danger to persons or other traffic using the road or any other road or for preventing the likelihood of any such danger arising
- Introducing the restriction to preserve the amenities of the area of which the roads run
The above changes have already come into effect and will apply for up to 18 months. The roads where parking is permitted on laybys is as follows:
- The A249 between M20 J7 and M2 J5
- The A299 M2 J7 to junction with the A256
- The A256 junction with A299 to junction with A2
Unfortunately, some of the drivers who were unaware of the ban, or simply had no choice but to park elsewhere, have already had their vehicles clamped. Photos from ITV news show that a line of vehicles were clamped in Kent earlier today.
A number of lorries have been clamped for parking along the #A20 near #Ashford as @Kent_cc cracks down on illegal parking.
New restrictions mean drivers who park illegally or anti-socially in the county risk clamping and fines.https://t.co/iatzTWTCWu
— ITV News Meridian (@itvmeridian) January 14, 2021
The parking restrictions have angered truckers delivering vital goods into and around the country during the coronavirus pandemic.
However, Simon Jones, Kent County Council’s Director of Highways, says that the ban is necessary to keep the roads „safe and clear”.
We appreciate HGV drivers are having to deal with new cross-Channel travel requirements and we have worked hard to ensure hauliers are aware of our new powers, and our targeted approach to enforcement. But, our overriding priority is to keep Kent’s roads safe and clear and we will take action against illegal parking that causes serious issues for other road users and residents.
Ironically, reports on social media today claim that a clamped lorry caused an accident on the A258 this morning, resulting in the road being temporarily blocked.
The driver of the truck was presumably unaware he had been clamped and then drove off, „ripping his lorry apart”. Fortunately, it appears nobody was hurt.
Photo credit: Stromcarlson / Wikimedia Commons (cropped image)