Hopes that the costs of a lorry park to replace Operation Stack in Kent could be met by charging foreign lorries for using UK roads have been dashed

The Department for Transport has abandoned plans to bring in a Brit disc, or vignette, system. It said a study has shown it would not be be viable or cost-effective.

And in a separate statement the Department sounded a note of caution over the lorry park and declined to comment on the sticky issues of funding the £40 million project.

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The Brit Disc news will be a serious blow to the county council, which only last week argued that charging foreign lorries would be the best way of funding the running and building costs of its plan.

It will also disappoint British hauliers, who pay tolls fees for using European motorways and have lobbied the government to help them operate on a level playing field with foreign companies.

However, a Government study into the idea has concluded a vignette scheme would deliver “limited safety, congestion, environmental and social benefits.”

On the lorry park, the DoT promised in a statement to consider the plan carefully but declined to make any commitment over funding saying it will have to be properly evaluated to ensure that it represents value for taxpayers’ money.

"We will need to assess a number of factors including detailed costings, the potential benefits to all stakeholders and the practical implications of constructing and operating the facility, before we can make a decision,” said the statement.

Reaction*Former transport minister and Kent MP Dr Steve Ladyman, who was responsible for setting up an investigation into the idea, said: "I think the vignette system was a good idea and had benefits beyond just the competitiveness issue. I am surprised if it has been abandoned.”

*Ashford MP Damian Green said: “Foreign lorries should be making a contribution to use our roads.”

Cllr Keith Ferrin (Con), KCC’s cabinet member for transport, said: “It seems to us that it’s the most obvious way of doing things. It’s the fairest, as everyone has to pay.

"It’s entirely within European law and I can’t see why the government wouldn’t go down that route. Of course if they want to fund the lorry park anyway, we would be delighted.”