Our Green district councillors have played a crucial role in helping to reduce the number of lorries on the M20, easing congestion and improving air quality.
Network Rail has acknowledged the key part played by Green-led Folkestone & Hythe District Council in getting government backing for a project that it predicts could see 140,000 trucks taken off our roads.
Back in 2024, Cllr Stephen Scoffham became aware that a missing connection between the UK rail network and the Channel Tunnel was preventing freight being transported from this country to the rest of Europe, and beyond. Eurotunnel was only using ten percent of its freight capacity.
He says: “I was aware of the impact on the local economy of Operation Brock and Dover TAP, backing up lorries on the M20 and A20, and the chaos that ensued when there were problems at the Port of Dover or the Tunnel. As Cabinet Member for Climate, Environment and Bio Diversity, I was also very concerned about the impact on air quality and our efforts to tackle climate change.
“The solution seemed relatively simple and cost-effective, but very few people were talking about getting freight off the roads and onto trains . We needed to throw our support behind this and get others to do so, including our local MPs.”
While driving around Hawkinge – part of his North Downs West ward – with newly elected Ashford MP Sojan Joseph (whose constituency includes Hawkinge) in summer 2024, Stephen raised his concerns about the risk of emergency vehicles not being able to get through when the road network became gridlocked.
Sojan joined local councillors for a briefing from Patrice Godefroy, Unite The Union representative. Patrice had been working to raise support and awareness for a project to upgrade the ‘loading gauge’ of the rail connection between Dollands Moor (just north west of Folkestone) and Wembley to enable a freight connection between the continent and the rest of the UK.
Stephen, along with fellow Cabinet member Cllr Polly Blakemore and Leader Cllr Jim Martin continued to pursue the issue and last autumn a meeting took place with Network Rail, attended by Sojan and Folkestone & Hythe MP Tony Vaughan. Jim raised the subject with Lord Hendy when they met at Ashford International in November to discuss the potential return of Eurostar services and persuaded all his counterparts at Kent district councils to join him in writing to the Minister.
Now, all the efforts have paid off. Rather than the Dollands Moor proposal, which would require changes to station platforms and bridges all the way to Wembley, a goods yard will be leased in Barking, East London, to create an international hub connected directly to the high speed railway line at Barking. The HS1 route is already cleared to fully utilise continental gauge wagons.
Leasing the Barking site required Government approval and this has now been confirmed, so the project can go ahead.
Says Stephen: “When we first started discussing this, I was struck by the potential benefits of getting freight onto rail for our district in return for a relatively small investment. Working with other parties was essential, yet I could scarcely imagine we would get to the point we are at today, where this is actually happening. I am delighted that Network Rail have acknowledged the part we have played at Folkestone & Hythe District Council.”
