SC22206 - Driver Welfare

The KRF Driver Welfare Plan sets out how the welfare of vehicle occupants caught in prolonged queues will be provided. Whilst the plan is intended to cover all the roads of Kent, the focus, per force, in recent years has been on the regular disruptions to the road networks leading to the Channel Tunnel and Port of Dover. The plan in particular deals with the distribution of food and water supplies to those queues of vehicles. Historically, locally procured food and water supplies were distributed direct from suppliers to those caught on to the road network. This work was carried out by a combination of teams comprised, variously, of colleagues from HM Coastguard and members of the Kent Voluntary Sector Emergency Group. After the events of Christmas 2020 where prolonged delays resulted from the border being closed for two days, it was recognised that local response capabilities had been severely overstretched. It was agreed with the Department of Transport that that a new centrally funded procurement and distribution plan was required to respond to events that were triggered by "national events" and where they going to last for longer than 1-2 days. Currently, under an interim plan, food and water, again procured locally as and when required, is brought to the National Highways depot at Stamford, just off Junction 11 of the M20. From this location supplies are distributed on to the road network using the same volunteer network. A small supply of food is pre-bought and held in the depot to ensure that we can react promptly to events.