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Thousands of international truck drivers prepare to spend Christmas Day locked in their taxis at the border of the English Channel as they move slowly to return haulers home to their loved ones.
Fortunately, many of the Irish drivers have already left the port of Dover and its congested access roads “proving once again that the Irish know their logistics,” said Wexford TD Verona Murphy.
More than 4,000 trucks have been stuck on the roads and in an emergency truck park at Manston Airfield, after France closed its border with the United Kingdom on Sunday amid concerns about a variant of the virus that possibly spread rapidly.
Speaking to The Irish Times, the former president of the Irish Road Transport Association rejected notions of “the luck of the Irish”, saying that drivers and transport companies would have had a backup plan.
She said many of the Irish would have moved from Dover to Gillingham, also in Kent, from where they would take a ferry to the Hook of Holland.
Others had simply been dumping containers in Dover and this would have been allowed, while more would be picking up containers in Dover, which was also allowed, he said.
Ms Murphy told The Irish Times that some trucks had turned around and returned to Ireland where their loads were shipped on the “direct route” from Rosslare, when Stena advanced the deployment of an additional ferry originally scheduled for introduction in January.
“But the Road Transport Association was close to this at all times and I stayed in touch. I don’t know of an Irishman still stuck in Kent. I think we are all out, ”he said.
Repatriation plan
UK Transport Secretary Grant Shapps announced that hundreds of soldiers would be deployed to assist in the repatriation operation in Kent.
About 700 carriers have been cleared for departure since the borders reopened on Wednesday, and a chorus of horns sounded in the Port of Dover on Christmas Eve as those at the front of the queue celebrated finally being able to leave.
Yet around 5,000 are still unable to make it home, despite some progress in testing by drivers locked in their vehicles at nearby Manston Airport, on a closed section of the M20 and in Dover itself.
Some have already spent nearly a week stranded due to the diplomatic stalemate.
Shapps said: “We need to resolve the situation in Kent, caused by the sudden imposition of Covid restrictions by the French government, as soon as possible.
“Today I have sent special instructions to the Army to take control of the heavy vehicle and test management operations in the county. Our goal is to get foreign carriers home to their families as quickly as possible.
“I know it has been difficult for many drivers locked in their taxis at this beautiful time of year, but I assure you that we are doing our best to get them home.
The UK Department for Transport (DfT) said all but three of the 2,367 coronavirus tests issued to carriers have been negative, a travel stipulation introduced by French authorities.
More than 300 soldiers will be brought in to take over the testing and sorting of trucks to eliminate the delay.
The British government said catering vans would be brought in to provide hot food and complementary drinks to carriers stranded at Manston, and that the Kent Council and volunteer groups would provide refreshments to those stuck on the M20.
There are over 250 toilets in Manston, with another 32 portable toilets added to the existing toilets already along the M20.
A spokesman for the Port of Dover said ferry services would continue to operate through the night and on Christmas Day to help ease congestion.
Traffic is moving faster in the Eurotunnel, where more than 1,000 vehicles exited Wednesday night, and around 2,000 more are expected to exit late Thursday.
But many will remain there on Christmas Day, according to Duncan Buchanan, policy director for the Road Haulage Association (RHA).
Buchanan said: “The most reassuring thing is that food is coming to Manston, and I have a lot to thank everyone who volunteered to help drivers weather cold conditions in the days leading up to Christmas.”
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