Arthur- Registered: 18 Nov 2020
- Posts: 449
Following a meeting with the DfT yesterday Guston PC became aware that the access route into the proposed Border Freight Facility was to be via the road created for the Dover Fastrack bus route. A planning application to approve the development of Dover Fastrack was due to be heard this morning. Guston PC had been assured during meetings with officials dealing with the Dover Fastrack application that this road would be used solely by the buses, pedestrians and pedal cyclists- never any mention of this being used by HGVs to access the Inland Border Facility. As a result of gaining this information the PC contacted DDC with their concerns. Subsequently the planning application for Dover Fastrack was removed from the listing this morning. The PC chairman has contacted all DDC Cllrs today letting them know that Guston PC regards the DfT utilising the Dover Fastrack application as underhand and definitely not transparent. The SDO has not yet been approved and I doubt that anyone was aware that these changes had been made to the use of this road.
Guston is a very small community but it has a PC that is fighting fiercely to protect both its residents and the environment. They have spent hours and hours on research and sending emails......making a lot of noise. Proud of the PC and the KCC Cllr for Dover West Ward.
Judith Roberts, Jan Higgins, Ross Miller and
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Judith Roberts, Jan Higgins, Ross Miller, Weird Granny Slater, Paul Watkins and Reginald Barrington like this
Brian Dixon
- Location: Dover
- Registered: 23 Sep 2008
- Posts: 23,940
Keith Sansum1
- Location: london
- Registered: 25 Aug 2010
- Posts: 23,942
What would Howard be saying of he were here today?
Lorry park proposal for Whitfield has conservative voters up in arms which will be interesting to see outcome .
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Paul Watkins- Location: Dover
- Registered: 9 Nov 2011
- Posts: 2,226
I think you’re right Keith. There has previously been total resistance to logistics/ lorry park by DDC . They fought off previous attempts by KCC to designate the Business Pk in general not necessarily this site. Expansion of existing Lydden lorry facilities was an option & land between Halfway House ( sorry old term) & Lydden lights were also identified with eager landowner. Comments about the professionalism of the Parish council are well made. Excellent Parish Clerk. They are also not a nimby Council but realistic & thoughtful. As for Aycliffe unless they find a credible influential local champion to align the two schemes they’ll miss the opportunity for TAP changes as an environmental benefit . Otherwise I feel the Guston scheme will be bulldozed through & there will be no local compensatory benefits for Dover or Guston communities.
Arthur likes this
Button
- Location: Dover
- Registered: 22 Jul 2016
- Posts: 3,065
One can of course site the activities mentioned by
https://inlandborderfacilities.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/White-Cliffs-IBF_Leaflet_Online-Version.pdf inland. That includes not only the HMRC ones of securing dues, collecting statistics, starting/discharging Transit movements, checking certification that EU goods qualify for the "free trade" deal, etc but also the Defra and chums' work to protect our food chain. By 'can' I mean we have done in the past, are doing now and will do in the future - c.f. 3 links, of which the first 2 are not recommended unless you're terminally bored:
https://www.google.co.uk/url?q=https://fsa-catalogue2.s3.eu-west-2.amazonaws.com/trafford.pdf&sa=U&ved=2ahUKEwjujY7-opvuAhWJa8AKHfYwDAQQFjAAegQIBRAB&usg=AOvVaw1VttBxFtLbzl3_mDBHFJAC (Manchester);
https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/goods-location-codes-for-data-element-523-of-the-customs-declaration-service (various);
https://pml-ltd.com/blog/pml-announces-innovative-solution-to-border-control-delays/ (Spalding).
But of course the attractions of Guston to politicians such as ours are that:
- it brings lots of yummy jobs* to the District (and HMG pays for the tarmac) and
- it avoids the risk that manky EU food (you know, the stuff we've been eating since 1993) suddenly breaks out of the lorry and attacks the good people living between here and Spalding. Or wherever.
* unless you can do them on-line sitting in your office someplace else.
ray hutstone likes this
(Not my real name.)
ray hutstone- Registered: 1 Apr 2018
- Posts: 2,158
You only really need to the read the runes. Natalie is closest to the likes of Shapps and Gove. Does she have the motivation to persuade them, at this late stage, to change their plans? I very much doubt it. And if she doesn't want to, there is precious little chance of the Parish Council changing things, however much of a respected body they may be.
This development has been an objective in government circles since July. I hope I'm wrong because it is an awful and unwelcome blow to those impacted by it. But then so is Brexit.
Button- Location: Dover
- Registered: 22 Jul 2016
- Posts: 3,065
Button wrote:But of course the attractions of Guston to politicians such as ours...
Not that Guston has always been seen as a hive of entrepreneurship.
Back in 2017, Mr Elphicke wrote "It’s important to understand that for customs clearances the border is a tax point, not a search point. We need to look at doing checks away from the border, not at the border"
https://www.conservativehome.com/platform/2017/09/charlie-elphicke-may-must-make-the-positive-case-for-a-deal-while-ensuring-were-prepared-to-leave-without-one.html.
But come 2020, Mrs Elphicke wrote "We ought to invest right now in physical and digital border and customs systems in our port and border communities, so we are ready on day one for the opportunities that await"
https://www.conservativehome.com/platform/2020/05/natalie-elphicke-from-tackling-gangs-to-new-investment-my-five-step-plan-to-take-back-control-of-our-borders.html.
(Not my real name.)
Brian Dixon- Location: Dover
- Registered: 23 Sep 2008
- Posts: 23,940
Dover Pilot likes this
Sue Nicholas- Location: river
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 6,025
Just received consultation document re the freight clearance site at Guston.First observation will create more traffic on the A2
ray hutstone- Registered: 1 Apr 2018
- Posts: 2,158
Sue Nicholas wrote:Just received consultation document re the freight clearance site at Guston.First observation will create more traffic on the A2
Yes. Of course it will.
Button- Location: Dover
- Registered: 22 Jul 2016
- Posts: 3,065
How strange, and to think that the DfT document on Guston says "...the time required for each HGV check (excluding physical examination) is expected to be two to four hours however some may take longer" as well.
They really ought to listen to:
Mr Elphicke (2017) - "With customs, the gold standard is the ten seconds it takes for processing in Singapore"
https://www.conservativehome.com/platform/2017/10/charlie-elphicke-ensuring-we-are-ready-on-day-one-for-any-brexit-scenario-is-the-smart-thing-to-do.html;
Mr Sunak (2017) - "...French customs authorities boasted in 2014, their average time taken to check goods was four minutes seven seconds, hardly a deal breaker for British exporters"
https://www.conservativehome.com/platform/2017/01/rishi-sunak-why-britain-must-leave-the-customs-union.html;
Mr Lilley (2018) - "...many of the problems ascribed to leaving the EU’s Customs Union are imaginary and most of the rest are exaggerated. References to “customs paperwork” having to be “checked at the border” after Brexit conjure up visions of lorry drivers filling in forms which are then laboriously checked against their loads, causing delays and queues. In fact, virtually all customs declarations are made electronically ahead of arrival at a port; most consignments are cleared within seconds of arrival..."
https://www.conservativehome.com/platform/2018/11/peter-lilley-fears-about-leaving-the-customs-union-are-a-mix-of-imaginary-and-exaggerated.html.
(Not my real name.)
ray hutstone- Registered: 1 Apr 2018
- Posts: 2,158
Arthur- Registered: 18 Nov 2020
- Posts: 449
The consultation period began yesterday but many residents have not yet received their engagement information. The PC has already formulated a robust response to the woefully inadequate documentation and lack of transparency and any scale on the maps. Also note that the Dover Fastrack road would also be used by HGVs - this was NEVER put to consultation on the original planning application. Re-routing the byway is also fraught with problems as anyone who lives in a rural setting knows. In the past these were gentle walking paths only frequented by walkers or horse riders, now they are overrun by noisy trail bikes and quad bikes causing considerable damage. Hopefully there will be a considerable number of people who take the time to comment on these ill conceived proposals.
Sue Nicholas- Location: river
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 6,025
I’m commenting
Guest 3925 and Arthur like this
Guest 3925- Registered: 28 Nov 2020
- Posts: 541
I've commented twice already, once was a repeat because I'm led to believe DfT won't accept anything from before the engagement, even though DfT replied that time!
They allow multiple comments, but you have to clear your computer cookies each time because the website says you've done a response already. Very sneaky because some people won't know what a cookie is!
When I'm off at the weekend, I'll be submitting some more comments.
I spoke to a colleague who lives in Melbourne Ave and they hadn't received anything so I sent them the engagement pack sent to me by Guston Parish Council.
Arthur likes this
Arthur- Registered: 18 Nov 2020
- Posts: 449
Thanks Andy, Guston PC has been trying to spread the word and the engagement pack as widely as possible.
Aycliffe need someone to spearhead their campaign- apologies if someone is already doing this. Paul Watkins is correct this needs a combined attack on those who are in a position to influence decisions. Where are the Cllrs who have been elected to Aycliffe? Who is their KCC Cllr? Individuals can’t do this alone.
Pablo- Registered: 21 Mar 2018
- Posts: 614
Aycliffe is part of the Dover town KCC ward. The two members for that ward are Pauline Beresford and Nigel Collor. The district councillor for the ward (Town& Castle) is David Hannent. The only town councillor who lives in Aycliffe is Chris Precious.
Jan Higgins and Ross Miller like this
Keith Sansum1- Location: london
- Registered: 25 Aug 2010
- Posts: 23,942
Another district councilor for Aycliffe is
Mr Biggs
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Sue Nicholas- Location: river
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 6,025
I have already contacted Cllr Biggs and Cllr Hannent.I heard from Cllr Biggs .The days of Jim Hood and the late Jackie Hood are long since gone .Wards are so big now .
Arthur- Registered: 18 Nov 2020
- Posts: 449
Presumably these Cllrs together have been co-ordinating an approach to the various bodies and supporting local residents to get TAP moved back?