Ukip’s David Little has called for a ”grown up” approach between the authorities to alleviate Operation Stack.

The Dover and Deal candidate highlighted how the whole of east Kent has been affected by the traffic misery, with the A20 becoming the most congested in the area.

Increased freight traffic to the port, ferry delays due to bad weather, and a fire at the Channel Tunnel has caused disruption to the district’s roads most recently.

Mr Little said: “This is hardly a new situation, the flawed system was put into place many years ago.

“The usual suspects of MPs, councils and KCC are busy pointing fingers, issuing meaningless statements and sitting on their hands.”

He said that a series of functional truck stops are required along the M20 and M2 where lorries can be safely diverted long before they reach the “bottleneck” of the port or Channel Tunnel.

“Local traffic must be given access and priority when Operation Stack is in process, residents must be able to go about their everyday business. The emergency services must have absolute and strict priority,” he continued.

“In the meantime all concerned must adopt a grown up approach of working together to alleviate the problem as soon as possible. The situation reflects very poorly on all concerned, action must be taken."