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Suffolk Police say the roll-out of new Operation Stack procedures for trucks bound for Felixstowe Port last week was a "huge success" that prevented traffic chaos in and around the town. High winds at the port over several days led to the launch of plans to park hundreds of LGVs on the old A45 rather than on one lane of the A14. Local and national press described the regime as mayhem,  but roads policing inspector Trevor Sharman says this is not true.

"It was a huge success following one of the most sustainable periods of high winds that anyone can remember at the Port of Felixstowe," he says. "It was not just a one-off day of disruption. Had we been running to the old system, the disruption to general traffic flow would have been immense." Sharman says there were congestion problems at the A12/A14 junction, but only for 40 minutes on the first day. He adds that everyone involved has learnt from the experience and small changes will be made. For the first time drivers had the use of toilets and food facilities at the new site, and Sharman says there were no arrests:

"I've got to say how different the drivers were: co-operative, supportive, laughing, engaging with officers. There was a good spirit. Perhaps in the old stack they saw police as obstructive. In the new stack they recognised police were trying to help them." Guy McGregor, county councillor  and portfolio holder for highways, describes it as "a success with regards to what happened". He adds: "Felixstowe didn't seize up as a consequence it must be regarded as an achievement."

However, McGregor has questioned the quality of food available for hauliers and adds that Kent County Council will be pushing for a permanent solution: "We will be pressing for better facilities on the A14 we can't carry on the way we are. It will be more telling for a lorry driver to describe to a minister what the situation is like, what has to be done and how it compares with situations elsewhere in the world."