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Roger and Pat, it's probably reasonable to assume that there has been, and will be in the future, an increase of freight traffic through Kentish ports.
The yearly value in freight is probably tens of billions of pounds a year for each of these ports.
A very small taxation on this freight passing through Kent's ports by way of a levy, in line with European policies of motorway tolls and similar tolls (tunnels) would bring in revenue for any further port infrastructure, port and road maintenance, and for local Councils.
Let's say, instead of increasing VAT by 1 or 2 per cent, or instead of increasing other taxes to an equivalent amount. It would be a direct taxation footed by users of ports and roads rather than an indiscriminate tax increase on the whole economy (VAT or other).
Pat, as you wrote recently that you were in favour of a port levy, it would be an idea to take it again into consideration now, for all British ports. In Kent we have Dover and the Channel tunnel, and with the public consultation on Dover Port and the formulation of a referendum on Dover Port being discussed, may-be now would be the right time to consider this option of a port levy in all British ports.
If this would not be aligning British economy with European economy in terms of transport fees and financing of transport infrastructure, then I do not know what alignment with European policies stands for. They do it, and quite rightly, so what are we waiting for?