by Graham Tutthill

gtutthill@thekmgroup.co.uk

The government and Highways Agency are being urged to take immediate action to repair one of the main roads leading to the Port of Dover.

There have been lengthy delays on the A20 at the Roundhill tunnels at Folkestone where expansion joints have failed on the viaduct. But nothing is likely to be done for several months, possibly until the end of the year.

The road has been restricted to one lane on both carriageways.

Dover Harbour Board and the three ferry operators, P&O Ferries, DFDS Seaways and SeaFrance, are jointly calling on the government and the Highways Agency to take swift action ahead of the main summer holiday period.

They are warning that not dealing with the problem quickly enough could lead to severe congestion on a daily basis, making the situation worse than Operation Stack for local residents.

"A permanent repair to the fault is several months away and so the need to provide an adequate temporary solution is becoming critical if the key route to the UK’s busiest ferry port is to cope with the anticipated volumes of traffic through the busy summer season," said the operators in a joint statement.

"Tourist traffic is predicted to increase by 50 per cent this weekend with more than a quarter of a million passengers expected to travel by ferry via Dover during this busy start to the school holidays."

The port and ferry operators are calling on the Highways Agency to order and install temporary bridging units in order that both lanes of each carriageway can be re-opened "as a matter of urgency".