Felixstowe compulsory booking system will end lorry congestion.

(From Lloyds List)

THE port of Felixstowe is preparing a mandatory vehicle booking system at its container terminals.

The system, which is being tested over the next two months, is expected to come into operation during the summer, well in advance of the pre-Christmas peak.

It will place a limit on the maximum number of hauliers allowed in any one-hour period and, by allowing the port to anticipate daily traffic flows, will help to ensure that sufficient resources are made available to meet demand, says the port.

More than 4,000 HGV drivers visit Felixstowe every day but there are dramatic peaks and troughs in demand, with 40% of the arrivals within a daily six-hour period, the port says.

In a leaflet explaining the system, it says: 'By ensuring that drivers pre-book their container for collection or delivery within certain allocated time slots, VBS will enable a better spread of jobs throughout the working day and will virtually eliminate the current rejections that occur within the gate complexes.'

HPUK chief executive Chris Lewis said in a letter to customers: 'Introduction of VBS at the port of Felixstowe will allow customers to play an active role in reducing turnround times for drivers arriving at the terminals.'