The strike by SeaFrance cross-Channel ferry officers ended on Friday after bringing misery to Kent for 17 days.

The furious and frustrated public have expressed their feelings in no uncertian terms in emails and website blogs.

~ 'We love Stack' - a very British way of telling authority what we think >>>

Here's what some of those more directly involved in the action had to say.

POLICE CHIEF - 9 March 6 Kent's top police officer Michael Fuller spoke of his alarm at the length of time Operation Stack had been implemented.

The chief constable said the operation takes 90 police officers away from their normal traffic duties at a cost of £15,000.

He said at the time: "We are looking at the longest operation that we have ever had.

"This ties up the whole of our traffic department and a solution must be found to this problem, which has been going on for many years.

"At the moment it is a very serious situation. Our traffic officers are not actually doing what they should be doing, which is making sure that our roads are safe."

STRIKERS - Day 10, March 7A spokesman for the SeaFrance workers, chief officer David Poisson, said the strikers knew the impact their action was having on Kent.

"If SeaFrance had negotiated with us in the first 24 hours, none of this would have happened ," he said.

He added: "Our salary request is a base amount – we are not stupid, we are willing to negotiate.

"It is very, very rare for officers to strike – this is the first time this has happened in France – and we are passionate about our jobs.

"But if we strike, it is for a good reason. And we will not go back to work until there is a proper meeting."

KCC LEADER - Day 10, March 8Kent County Council leader Paul Carter wrote to French President Nicolas Sarkozy to seek reassurances that the French government will honour compensation claims by UK businesses caused by the SeaFrance crisis.

Kentonline obtained a copy of the letter, sent on March 8, which read:

"I must bring to your attention the eight days of gridlock on our motorway links, severe damage to our business economy and unacceptable inconvenience for residents, resulting from the industrial action by French ferry workers.

"I support your aim of establishing minimum levels of service on public transport during strike action but this must be extended to cross-channel services as a matter of

urgency to ensure that good transport connections between Kent and France continue and there is no negative impact on both our economies.

"I seek your reassurance that compensation claims submitted to your government by UK businesses, that are collectively losing millions, will be honoured."

EURO POLITICIAN

Day 13, March 10

Southeast MEP Richard Ashworth hit back at the French for their lack of "European solidarity". He has since been calling upon the EU to help Kent foot the bill for a £40million lorry park to cope with Operation Stack.

Day 15, March 12Mr Ashworth welcomed KCC’s proposals to build a 70 acre, 3,000-capacity temporary lorry park at Aldington, near Ashford, to alleviate the problems caused each time Stack is implemented on the M20.

"This is a national problem and so the Kent tax payers must not be forced to foot an unfair share of the bill, particularly considering we already pay an extra burden for problems like asylum ," he said.

"I will now contact the EU's Transport Commissioner Barrot asking him to support the plans both politically and financially.”

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