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The UK will begin a massive testing program at its ports after an agreement is reached to reopen its border with France.
The massive testing program for heavy vehicle drivers will be rolled out to ease congestion at ports, the Department of Transportation said.
French authorities announced that travel from the UK may resume on Wednesday after the coronavirus ban is lifted, but those wishing to travel must have a negative test result.
The protocol agreed with the French government will be reviewed on December 31, but could be in force until January 6, the Department of Transport (DfT) said.
All truck drivers, regardless of nationality, will require a lateral flow test, which can provide results in approximately 30 minutes.
The French government will also carry out sample tests on incoming cargo to the UK, the DfT said.
Transportation Secretary Grant Shapps said: “I am pleased that we have made this important progress with our French counterparts tonight.
“This protocol will reopen the French border for those traveling for urgent reasons, provided they have a certified negative Covid test.
“We continue to urge carriers not to travel to Kent until further notice as we work to ease congestion at the ports.”
Full details of the testing program have yet to be released, but Shapps warned it could take until Christmas to ease congestion near ports.
The travel ban was imposed in response to fears about the spread of the most infectious strain of coronavirus, which is spreading in the UK.
In a press release, the French Foreign Office said that starting at 11pm UK time (midnight in France) there would be a “limited resumption of movement of people from the UK to France subject to sensitive negative health tests to the variant “.
Truck drivers have been forced to sleep in their vehicles at night
/ fake images )The statement said a negative test result, taken less than 72 hours prior to travel, is required and this may be a “PCR or antigen test” sensitive to the new variant.
Among those who can take trips are French and EU, British or third party residents who normally live in France or the EU, as well as some other groups.
Eurotunnel said only pre-booked passengers who have already tested negative should go to its terminal.
“As of 23:00 hours on 12/22/2020, to travel to France, passengers will need: – A negative result of a Covid-19 test accepted by the French government – Taken in the last 72 hours – A certificate by email or SMS issued by the test facility.
“Make sure you meet the French government criteria before traveling to our terminal.
“There are no Covid-19 testing facilities in Eurotunnel. Go to our website to reserve or modify tickets. PLEASE DO NOT ARRIVE WITHOUT A RESERVATION AS WE ARE FULLY RESERVED. “
More than 2,800 heavy vehicles were stuck in Kent on Tuesday afternoon as a result of the disruption.
The French decision to ease its restrictions came after the European Commission recommended a joint approach by EU members in response to the mutant coronavirus VUI 202012/1.
The EU-wide approach recommended by the commission would allow essential travel and passenger transit should be facilitated.
Flight and train bans “should be lifted given the need to guarantee essential travel and avoid supply chain disruptions,” the commission said.
EU Justice Commissioner Didier Reynders said: “Member states must take coordinated action to discourage non-essential travel between the UK and the EU.”
But “at the same time, blanket travel bans should not prevent thousands of EU and UK citizens from returning to their homes.”
Transport Commissioner Adina Valean said: “Within the EU, it is essential that transport workers are exempted from any restrictive measures.”
Andrew Opie, director of food and sustainability at the British Retail Consortium (BRC), told the Business Selection Committee: “If we don’t see the empty trucks, which have already been delivered to warehouses and shops, going back across the Canal, we won’t be able to pick up the next shipment of fresh fruits, vegetables, salads.
“What the members have told us is that unless those trucks can start traveling again and go back to Spain and Portugal and other parts of Europe, we will have problems with fresh produce from December 27.”
