Port of Dover closed: fears that UK food and NHS supplies will be severely delayed

The vital flow of goods in and out of the UK could be in jeopardy at a critical time when Britain is struggling to contain a mutant strain of coronavirus.

New border restrictions in France have led to the closure of key trade routes in Kent on Sunday night.

It is likely to have serious ramifications for UK trade, which in recent days has seen around 10,000 trucks pass through the Port of Dover every 24 hours.

Much of the trade that passes through the Canal ports consists of perishable goods that need to reach their destination quickly.

But since midnight, all traffic to France from the UK was suspended for at least 48 hours, and the Operation Stack emergency measure was implemented.

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Operation Stack is a procedure that uses parts of the M20 to queue up trucks traveling to the mainland to avoid traffic jams on the roads of Kent.

Kent Police gave the green light to the measure on the M20 coastal carriageway between Junctions 8 and 11, to avoid causing traffic jams on Kent roads, saying it was a “contingency measure”.

However, reports from the scene suggest that not enough police are available.

The Department for Transport said Manston Airport is preparing to accommodate “up to 4,000 trucks” as a measure to ease congestion in Kent in the wake of France’s travel ban.

Due to the expected level of disruptions, DfT also advised carriers to avoid traveling to Kent ports “until further notice”.

It comes after flights to a growing number of countries, including France, Italy and Germany, were canceled amid concerns about the mutant strain, while the Eurostar was also stopped.

A growing list of countries have banned inbound flights to the UK and there were chaotic scenes at Heathrow Airport as many rushed home before the restrictions were applied.

Boris Johnson will hold an emergency Cobra meeting later today to deal with the consequences of the 48-hour lockdown, which comes as the UK is on the brink of a no-deal Brexit.

It comes when Labor MP Sam Tarry, a member of the Commons transport select committee, last night called Britain the “sick man of Europe”.

It is a label that was last branded with during the years of industrial strife and economic turmoil in the 1970s.

What could this mean for food and goods stocks in the UK?

These border restrictions may affect the flow of key products to the UK.

Andrew Opie from the British Retail Consortium said: “The closure of traffic from France to the UK, including accompanied freight, poses difficulties for the UK’s ability to import and export key products during the busy Christmas period.”

He suggested that while goods can still enter the UK from France, few transport companies may be willing to send trucks and drivers to the UK without a guarantee that they can return to the EU in a timely manner.

It is believed that many retailers will have already stocked up on holiday items, preventing immediate supply problems.

However, any prolonged closure of the border with France would present difficulties for businesses, Opie said.

NHS supplies could also be affected and The Telegraph reports that military aircraft could transport supplies of the vaccines to the UK from Belgium if the ban is upheld for more than 48 hours.

What about UK companies exporting goods to the continent?

While trucks carrying goods from France can still enter the UK, the same does not apply to many UK goods bound for the continent.

Scottish seafood exporter Lochfyne said the closing of the French border the week before Christmas was a “disaster”.

A spokesperson said on Twitter: “There will be Vivier trucks from all over Scotland heading in that direction, millions of pounds worth of seafood at the biggest market time of the year, the last before Christmas.

“Even if we pass 48 hours later, we will miss the Christmas deadline, this is incredible.”

What about traffic in Kent?

The government warned of a “significant disruption” in the area and said people should avoid traveling to Kent ports.

There is a clear possibility of problems on county roads Monday morning as businesses face uncertainty about the movement of goods.

The huge queues of heavy vehicles that stretch for many miles along the roads of Kent have become a familiar sight in recent days due to the Christmas preparations and the build-up of Brexit stocks.

The chairman of the Select Committee for Transport, Huw Merriman, said that the situation on the border with France is “very alarming”.

The Conservative MP for Bexhill and Battle said there was no need to panic, but that it was “important that we find a way before transportation and ports are completely blocked.”