From which article we learn why TAP has to be where it is...
Nicky Potts, head of operational integration national highways in the south east said: “We appreciate the concerns that local residents have over noise and have looked at this design on a number of occasions.
"Safety is our number one priority and Dover A20 TAP starts at the traffic lights by the roundabout to ensure that lorries slowing down can do so with plenty of time to stop.
“If this was to move 200 yards further west there would be lorries trying to stop at the bottom of a very steep hill. There is currently no street lighting further back and it would also encroach into the high risk fog area of the A20.
"The infrastructure at the roundabout also allows the control of the traffic lights to let lorries through when capacity allows.
Also authorities on the ground can have a good view of freight moving towards the Port, and to turn around any vehicles trying to jump the queue.
"Relocating the lights would prevent this from happening, potentially causing more hooting of horns.”
So there you are. Obvious when you think about it.
Except that I don't think queues work quite like that. I was under the impression that what the one at the front did, the ones behind typically do a little later. So to say "If this was to move 200 yards further west there would be lorries trying to stop at the bottom of a very steep hill" is a bit potty really (as well as being grammatically incorrect) because when the queue reaches 200 yards then the next lorries do exactly that - they stop at the bottom of the "very steep hill". Evidently with some success. Fog or no fog. Lights or no lights.
Question for Mrs Elphicke (let's keep this simple): "hi, what precisely did you do today, Thursday 14th April 2022, to move TAP away from Aycliffe?"