KENT ACCESS PERMIT FINES

More than 400 fines have been issued to HGV drivers who failed to obtain a valid Kent Access Permit before entering the county.

The passes were introduced on December 16, and all drivers with loads of more than 7.5 tonnes must have one if leaving the country via the Port of Dover or Eurotunnel.

The aim is to help ensure any traffic disruption is kept to a minimum in the wake of the Brexit transition, with freight volumes expected to return to normal levels before the end of the month.

The permit confirms drivers have the right documents for EU import controls, and are valid for 24 hours.

Police say the vast majority of drivers do have one, but those who don’t are being strongly encouraged to follow the rules.

As of last Wednesday, 407 Kent Access Permit offences had been identified by traffic and vehicle examiners from the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA), who are working with the police to dish out the £300 fines.

A further 152 HGV drivers were found to have breached traffic regulation orders, which include attempting to bypass the Operation Brock queue by accessing the M20 contraflow or using the A20 between Maidstone and Ashford as an illegal shortcut.