The police overtime bill for Operation Stack was more than £625,000 in 2008.

The sum was five times as much as it was three years ago, according to figures obtained by the Kentish Express under the Freedom of Information Act.

Stack, which is brought in when bad weather or industrial action blocks the Channel ports causing a backlog of lorries that have to be “stacked” on the M20, was implemented 21 times last year and cost £625,309 in police and support staff overtime.

In 2005, Stack was implemented 18 times and cost £123,000 in overtime.

The statistics may state that Stack was only implemented three more times last year than in 2005, but 2008 was a particularly dramatic year.

In February and March, motorists suffered 17 consecutive days of misery when SeaFrance workers went on strike. Then on September 11, fire ripped though the Channel Tunnel, causing massive disruption.

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