Humanitarian charity RE:ACT has won a one-year contract worth £204,000 to aid drivers stuck in queues in Kent.
The government contracted RE:ACT in November 2022 to distribute food and water supplies to vehicle occupants caught in prolonged queues on roads to the Channel tunnel and Port of Dover.
The initiative is part of the Kent Resilience Forum (KRF) driver welfare plan, which sets out how the welfare of drivers gridlocked on these roads is provided.
RE:ACT, previously known as Team Rubicon UK, was established in 2015 by General Sir Nick Parker, the former commander of British Land Forces.
Working with the council to tackle a ‘complex problem’
Jon White, RE:ACT regional lead for the South East, told Civil Society News that the contract will be delivered by RE:SILIENT Response Ltd, the charity’s trading subsidiary.
“We can confirm that RE:SILIENT Response Ltd has agreed to support Kent County Council and provide driver welfare for those stuck in the queues – often for many hours – resulting from disruption to the road network leading to the Channel Tunnel and the Port of Dover,” he said.
“The year-long contract began on 25 November and will initially run for 12 months. We applaud Kent County Council for this proactive approach to helping solve this complex problem.
“All profits from RE:SILIENT’s work go towards funding our charity, RE:ACT, which is currently responding to emergencies both at home and abroad, and in particular in Ukraine, where we are delivering daily hot meals to thousands of displaced people.”
New procurement and distribution plan
In a contract award notice published last month, Kent County Council said that the Department of Transport set up a new centrally funded procurement and distribution to better respond to waits triggered by “national events” and longer than two days.
Until December 2020, suppliers distributed food and water to people caught on the roads, which was coordinated by HM Coastguard and members of the Kent Voluntary Sector Emergency Group.
However, following a 48-hour border closure that led to severe delays, the UK government “recognised that local response capabilities had been severely overstretched”.
The notice said: “Currently, under an interim plan, food and water, again procured locally as and when required, is brought to the National Highways depot at Stamford, just off Junction 11 of the M20. From this location supplies are distributed on to the road network using the same volunteer network. A small supply of food is pre-bought and held in the depot to ensure that we can react promptly to events.”
A government spokesperson said: “Driver welfare is our priority and it’s only right we have robust emergency support in place in case of unprecedented issues at the border.
“We continue to work across government and with our partners, including the French government, to ensure passengers have the smoothest journey possible.”
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