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France decided on Sunday to stop all UK trucks for 48 hours due to the spread of the mutated corona virus. The port of Calais, France, has been closed to passenger traffic, but unaccompanied goods – that is, containers and the like that are loaded onto ferries without an accompanying driver – are still being released.
The decision to stop truck traffic could have a “devastating effect” on the delivery of food and other consumer goods to the UK, industry representatives warn.
Thousands of trucks
Although there is no prohibition in the other direction, many of the approximately 10,000 trucks that cross the English Channel through the Channel Tunnel and through the Port of Dover are empty every day. Many people go to pick up fresh produce like Brussels sprouts and cauliflower from large distribution centers in northern France and Belgium.
The Port of Dover has now been closed to British traffic due to French border restrictions. However, goods from France will be allowed through, but there are concerns that truck drivers will not make the journey for fear of getting stuck in the UK.
Risk of disturbance
Britain’s Transport Minister Grant Shapps is calling on both the general public and carriers not to travel to the Kent ports, where Dover is located, as a “widespread disruption” is expected in the area.
The border restrictions could mean disruptions to food supplies, as well as difficulties in meeting demand for British products in the rest of Europe, the industry warns.
“Suspension of escorted freight traffic from the UK to France has the potential to cause a serious disruption to UK Christmas fresh food deliveries and UK food and drink exports,” Ian Wright told the BBC. , director of the Federation of Food and Beverages.
– Truckers from the mainland will not travel here if they are afraid of being stranded.
Warn and calm
Rod McKenzie, Policy Director for the Road Haulage Association, says “devastating effects” are expected on the supply chain, even if it’s just a 48-hour outage.
“In recent days, we have seen long lines on both sides of the channel due to Brexit storage and the Christmas rush and now border closures mean that everything will be affected,” he told The Guardian.
– We depend on cross-strait transports for our daily deliveries. We talk about everything: factory components, fresh and frozen veggies, and holiday deliveries.
However, lobbyist Logistics UK urges British Christmas retailers to calm down. The organization states that it “is in close contact with the British government to ensure that deliveries of fresh produce are available during Christmas and the New Year,” the BBC writes.
Sofia Eriksson / TT
The Eurotunnel / Canal Tunnel is a 50 km long railway tunnel under the English Channel between Calais / Coquelles in France and Folkestone in England.
It was commissioned in 1994.
The Eurotunnel actually consists of three tunnels. Rail traffic has a tunnel in each direction and there is also a service tunnel. Car transportation is provided by special shuttle trains that can accommodate 200 passenger cars and depart from the main terminals at Coquelles and Folkestone.
Source: Nationalencyklopedin
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