A councillor claims tougher action is needed to tackle the number of lorries parking illegally around Dover.

Dover district councillor Kevin Mills said “enough is enough” over an illegal lorry park in Coombe Valley Road.

And he wants to see an end to vehicles blocking laybys and dumping rubbish.

Cllr Mills is set to chair a special scrutiny meeting on the subject in June. He said: “It’s gone on too long. We get almost 100% of the traffic. We’re being hit harder than most other districts in the county.”

The St Radigund’s ward councillor said clamping lorries that were parked illegally was the only way to stop it.

His comments come after Cllr Lesley Ann Burke said St Radigund’s was being “dumped on”.

Cllr Mills said companies could not afford to have their lorries out of action and this would act as a deterrent to other drivers.

Word would soon spread that Kent County Council and Dover District Council was carrying out such enforcement action, he said.

Cllr Mills said a vehicle could only be clamped if it had received three parking tickets, but he thought HGVs should be dealt with straight away.

He said this was because tickets could have a limited impact on foreign lorries if the authorities could not track them down once they had left the UK.

He also wants the illegal lorry park in Coombe Valley Road to be closed straight away.

Residents have previously raised concerns about the unauthorised lorry park.

Andy Steele, for Dover District Council, said: “We understand people’s concerns, and we continue to work with police and Highways to explore the wider issues of lorries parking across the district

'We understand people’s concerns, and we continue to work with police and Highways to explore the wider issues of lorries parking across the district' - Andy Steele, DDC.

"Our parking team continues to work hard to enforce the parking restrictions.

“We are aware of residents’ concerns about lorries parking on the site of the former gas works in Coombe Valley Road.

“The land does not have planning permission for use as a lorry park, and we are taking active steps to progress this matter and the investigation is continuing.”