Over 20,000 call for Brexit lorry park in Kent to be named after Nigel Farage in online petition

George Martin
Updated ·3 min read
An aerial picture shows excavators working at a construction site for a lorry park being built between the villages of Sevington and Mersham, near the M20 motorway near Ashford in Kent, south east England on October 6, 2020, which will have the capacity to hold nearly 10,000 vehicles in the event of a no-deal Brexit. - Queues of up to 7,000 heavy-goods vehicles could develop in southeast England from January if Britain leaves the European Union without a Brexit trading deal, the government forecast last month. In case of a no-deal Brexit, Britain's government is developing giant lorry parks in Kent to prevent gridlock on the road system leading in and out of London. (Photo by BEN STANSALL / AFP) (Photo by BEN STANSALL/AFP via Getty Images)
The lorry park being built between the villages of Sevington and Mersham, near the M20 motorway near Ashford in Kent. (Getty)
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A tongue-in-cheek online petition has called for a new lorry park being built near Dover to be named after Nigel Farage.

The enormous complex is currently under construction in Kent to help the port authorities deal with the expected backlog of freight traffic caused by a no deal Brexit.

As many as 1,700 lorries will be housed in the facility which is being hastily built next to the M20 in Ashford.

In the event of a no deal Brexit, the government says it is constructing the so-called “inland border facility” to deal with queues of up to 7,000 trucks heading for Dover.

ASHFORD, ENGLAND - SEPTEMBER 24: Lines of heavy goods vehicles and cargo lorries are seen queued along the M20 motorway as part of the Operation Stack traffic control plan, on September 24, 2020 near Ashford, England. Due to industrial action in Calais, vehicles were backed up along the motorway to prevent overcrowding and gridlock in the port of Dover. (Photo by Leon Neal/Getty Images)
Lines of heavy goods vehicles and cargo lorries are seen queued along the M20 motorway as part of the Operation Stack traffic control plan. (Getty)

Portable toilets are also set to be installed alongside the motorway for lorry drivers who are stuck in the queue for extended periods.

An online petition which appeared on Thursday afternoon has called for the park to be named after Brexit Party leader Nigel Farage.

The ironic appeal is calling on Kent County Council to name the controversial new facility “Nigel’s Folly” in recognition of his “contribution to the UK leaving the EU”.

Read more: 'Plain and simple lies': MPs attack Boris Johnson after PM tells UK to get ready for No Deal

So far over 20,000 people have added their name to the petition.

Its creator, Gareth Evans, wrote in the description that the “diesel soaked valhalla” should be dedicated to the “true hero” of Brexit.

“The undersigned request that the new Brexit lorry park in kent be named after Nigel Farage. Without his years of selfish grift, dissembling and misapplied zeal on the behalf of the more gullible voters of Kent this project just would not be happening,” the description reads.

“It is fitting that every lorry driver, every commuter and every local resident has a chance to link this fine example of civil engineering to its true hero.

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“It maybe the Mr Farage will be unable or unwilling to attend the unveiling of this great honour that we do him but that shouldn’t get in the way of seeing his name and huge gurn plastered all over the boundary fence at regular intervals topped by a coil of razor wire no doubt festooned with the shreds of black farmers plastic known as witches knickers.

“For the foreseeable future everyone should genuinely be able to refer to this diesel soaked valhalla as Nigel’s Folly.”

It comes after Cabinet Office minister Michael Gove insisted on Sunday that the door is "ajar" for post-Brexit trade talks to continue with the EU after Downing Street declared negotiations as "over".

Gove accused EU officials of not being serious about making compromises and said they would have to back down if chief negotiator Michel Barnier is to resume negotiations in London this week.

His warning came after prime minister Boris Johnson accused European leaders of having "abandoned the idea of a free trade deal" and told the country to "get ready" for leaving without a trade deal.