Dover Port Hitting Record Levels Of Traffic

Wednesday 8th October 2008

Dover Port are reporting increased levels of cars, passengers, freight and coaches all using the port despite the recent press coverage of the fire that beset the tunnel.

In the last week of September the port saw close to 54,000 freighters, 58,500 cars with tourists, 2683 coaches and 305,000 passengers arriving and travelling through the port. Despite widespread press coverage the port is reporting that Operation Stack - a system put in place to deal with large volumes of freight during times of delay - has only had to be put into operation on four occasions.

The Chief Executive of the Port of Dover Bob Goldfield has spoken about the announcement of the figures and said;

"Clearly the port is demonstrating its ability to step in and handle higher volumes at a time when the Channel Tunnel is operating at reduced capacity. In addition to this solid increase in freight, we are now moving into the annual Christmas surge of shopping excursions to the hypermarkets and continental Christmas markets. The port is running smoothly to keep the UK’s economic supply chain unbroken and to keep leisure travel on track."