A retired Mercury journalist is calling on the authorities to do more to keep traffic moving in Dover when lorries cause congestion.

Graham Tutthill and his wife Jill were going to Dover Cruise Terminal on Good Friday to view theDove of Peace sculpture when they became stuck in a traffic jam in Townwall Street.

“Both sides of the dual carriageway were jammed with lorries and cars, and while the traffic heading towards the docks was moving slowly, we were going nowhere,” said Mr Tutthill.

“After more than 10 minutes, I decided to investigate the cause of the jam and walked to the front of the queue where two lorries were blocking the filter lane, left lane and part of the right lane.

"They were waiting to turn right at the York Street roundabout to go back to the docks.

“I spoke to the driver of the first lorry and said I realised that it would make his journey longer, but if he drove straight on into Snargate Street and along the A20 it would release the vehicles which were stuck behind him.

"This he agreed to do, and within minutes the traffic was flowing again."

“When we reached the Limekiln Street roundabout we found a similar situation.

"Lorries emerging from the freight clearance facility were unable to turn right at the roundabout so had stopped, and local motorists were caught up behind them.

“Another lorry had stopped on the roundabout across this junction.

"Again I asked the driver to go along the A20 towards Folkestone, and after stopping other traffic from going towards the cruise terminal for a minute, we were able to get the local motorists to drive down past the lorries to the roundabout and away.

“At the Western Heights roundabout there were two Kent police officers making sure that roundabout was not blocked.

They said Port of Dover Police were supposed to be at the Limekiln Street roundabout, but I understand that by then, those officers were at the York Street roundabout.

'All it needed was one officer at each roundabout – rather than two at one and none at the other – to keep the traffic moving.' - Mr Tutthill

“All it needed was one officer at each roundabout – rather than two at one and none at the other – to keep the traffic moving.”

Mr Tutthill said the plan to install traffic lights at the Western Heights roundabout might stop toomany lorries heading for the port, but it wouldn't help at the Limekiln Street roundabout where lorries emerge from freight clearance.

He said: “If I, as an individual, could sort the problem – albeit, no doubt, temporarily – in a fewminutes, why can't the authorities, who have the power to make drivers move their vehicles, do it permanently?”