The nerves in Dover are exposed: go out alone with the crown test: drivers quarrel with police officers

The nerves of thousands of truckers in England are on edge. Truckers at the Dover port expressed their anger with horn concerts.

“We want to go home,” they yelled. A small group confronted police officers who blocked the entrance to the port. Fighting broke out and a man was arrested.

Drivers have been waiting there for days. On Wednesday night, France reopened Britain’s truck border after two days, but a negative corona test is now required to enter.

In the northern French port city of Calais, some cars departed ferries from Britain on Wednesday, as reported by the AFP news agency. Truck trailers have also arrived, but not full semi-trailers, because without a corona test, drivers would not be able to get on board.

“It will take a few days for the backlog to be eliminated,” admitted British Construction Minister Robert Jenrick. He represented the government that morning on television station breakfast shows, a thankless job. The Department of Transportation spoke in the morning of more than 5,000 vehicles making knots in Kent County. The British Freight Forwarders Association, RHA, estimated that it could be up to double.

The main focus was on the dismantled Manston airfield, about 30 kilometers north of Dover. Around 3,000 trucks were diverted here alone. They were on the track, arranged like Tetris blocks. RHA chief Richard Burnett warned: “Hundreds of drivers are at risk of not being home in time for Christmas.” The British Army built the largest test center in Manston.

Drivers should receive a quick test, Minister Jenrick explained the procedure. Those who test negative can cross to the port and take the ferry. If the rapid test is positive, a more detailed PCR test should verify the result. If this is also positive, the driver will be accommodated by the British authorities in a “safe for covid” hotel. Also in Dover a test center was installed directly at the port.

France’s Deputy Transport Minister Jean-Baptiste Djebbari tweeted to those waiting: “We are working hard to ensure that as many of you as possible can go home to spend the Christmas holidays with your family.” Due to the rapid spread of the new variant of the coronavirus, France had also closed the borders with Great Britain for the movement of goods.

Trains through the Eurotunnel resumed operations that night. The Netherlands is also allowing travelers from Great Britain to re-enter the country. The government in The Hague announced that entry has been allowed again since midnight. However, passengers must have a negative corona test. Airlines and shipowners are obliged to check it. Norway, however, extended the ban on direct flights from the UK until December 26 inclusive.

RHA chief Burnett emphasized that the use of rapid tests would also cause significant delays in the supply chain. Burnett also warned of health risks. Many drivers still do not have access to sanitary facilities. In addition, logistical problems have not been clarified, such as cleaning the cabins of the drivers for those who tested positive. To resolve the delay more quickly, Transportation Minister Grant Shapps once again relaxed rest periods: Truck drivers can now sit behind the wheel for eleven hours instead of nine.

Due to the border closure, there are concerns that certain fresh foods such as lettuce and cauliflower may be in short supply in Britain after Christmas at the latest. “Until the backlog is removed and supply chains are normalized again, we expect problems with the availability of some fresh produce,” said Andrew Opie, head of food at the BRC trade association.

The government asked people to stop buying hamsters. Supermarket chains emphasized that all products are in stock. However, the vegetable shelves in some stores were empty.

But exports are also a cause for concern. Trade associations estimate millions worth of assets are lost due to waiting. “It has been a disastrous day for those who export fresh and perishable products, especially seafood and salmon from Scotland,” David Thomson, director of the Scottish Food and Drink Manufacturers Association, FDF, told the BBC. “This will be a black Christmas for these companies.”

sda / oli

Posted today at 2:29 pm