Parking purge has targeted 5,000 trucks in 18 months

Moved, fined or immobilised in clampdown

An operation to target illegal and anti-social lorry parking has reached a milestone with more than 5,000 vehicles dealt with in just over 18 months.

A total of 5,019 lorries have been moved on, fined or immobilised by police and officials from Highways England since the joint enforcement operation started in December 2015.

A total of 4,294 HGVs were moved on because they were parked illegally or inappropriately and 18 others were dealt with for other traffic offences.

Fixed penalty notices have been issued to 695 drivers. A total of 12 HGVs were immobilised after initially refusing to pay their fines.

Under the operation, officers patrol key locations including the A2 near Cobham and Lydden, the M20 and A20 between junction 9 and Dover, and the M2 at Farthing Corner.

Ch Insp Peter Steenhuis from the roads policing unit said: “There are more lorries on the roads of Kent than ever before and that is having an impact on the wider road network and local communities. We appreciate that HGV drivers are under pressure to meet legal requirements about taking rest breaks and driving hours.

“But it is completely unacceptable to endanger other road users and park on slip roads and the hard shoulder.

“We continue to urge HGV drivers to plan their journeys in advance and to use official, legal and safe facilities for parking while they take their breaks.”

‘It is completely unacceptable to endanger other road users’

Police crack down on illegally parked lorry drivers