Transport secretary Grant Shapps has said he expects ‘significant disruption’ tomorrow as France has banned all travel from the UK for at least 48 hours.
This includes accompanied freight, such as lorries being driven into the country, although travel into the UK from France will still be allowed.
Tonight, the Port of Dover announced its ferry terminal would close for the period the travel ban remains in force. Eurotunnel made a similar announcement that it would not be open.
Mr Shapps said this evening: ‘Following the French Government’s announcement it will not accept any passengers arriving from the UK for the next 48hrs, we’re asking the public & particularly hauliers not to travel to Kent ports or other routes to France. We expect significant disruption in the area.
‘My department is urgently working with Highways England and Kent Council on contingency measures to minimise traffic disruption in the area. We will share more details on these shortly.’
It comes as Boris Johnson is to hold crisis talks with ministers after more European countries halted flights and ferry crossing from the UK amid fears over a new mutant coronavirus strain.
The Prime Minister will chair a meeting of the Government’s Cobra civil contingencies committee on Monday as ministers seek to ensure a ‘steady flow of freight into and out of the UK’, Downing St said.
The move comes after France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Belgium, Austria, Ireland and Bulgaria all announced restrictions on UK travel following the disclosure that the highly infectious new strain is widespread across south-east England.
Eurotunnel tweeted that its last shuttle service departing for France would leave at 9.34pm, with access to its UK site prohibited from 10pm.
The Port of Dover tweeted tonight that its ferry terminal was ‘closed to all accompanied traffic leaving the UK until further notice due to border restrictions in France’.
On its website it added: ‘Both accompanied freight and passenger customers are asked not to travel to the Port.
‘We understand that the restrictions will be in place for 48 hours from midnight (CET).
‘We apologise for the inconvenience and will provide an update as soon as possible.’
It added: ‘Port of Dover Cargo Terminal, Marina and other areas of the Port remain open.’
Earlier Health Secretary Matt Hancock admitted the new variant coronavirus was ‘out of control’ and that tough new restrictions announced by Mr Johnson on Saturday may remain in place for months.
A No 10 spokesman said: ‘The Prime Minister will chair a Cobra meeting tomorrow to discuss the situation regarding international travel, in particular the steady flow of freight into and out of the UK.
‘Further meetings are happening this evening and tomorrow morning to ensure robust plans are in place.’
French transport minister Jean-Baptiste Djebbari tweeted today that the country was suspending all traffic from the UK from midnight for at least 48 hours.
Rod McKenzie, from the Road Haulage Association, told Sky News that 10,000 lorries a day crossed between Dover and Calais in France.
He added: ‘Brexit stockpiling is one thing, the Christmas rush is another thing, but the absolute hammer blow now is to close the borders for 48 hours.
‘That is a serious disruption of the all important supply chain.’
Logistics UK, formerly the Freight Transport Association, which is based in Tunbridge Wells, tweeted: ‘Logistics UK is aware of news that accompanied freight to France is being not allowed for 48 hours; we are concerned about the welfare of drivers and we are urgently seeking more information for our members.’
The Food and Drink Federation urged ministers to ask the French government to exempt accompanied freight from its travel ban.
CEO Ian Wright said: ‘Tonight’s suspension of accompanied freight traffic from the UK to France has the potential to cause serious disruption to UK Christmas fresh food supplies and exports of UK food and drink.
‘Continental truckers will not want to travel here if they have a real fear of getting marooned.
‘The Government must very urgently persuade the French government to exempt accompanied freight from its ban.’
The Eurostar rail service said on its website on Sunday evening that due to the French and Belgian border closures with the UK it was unable to run any trains from London to Paris, Brussels, Lille or Amsterdam on Monday or Tuesday.
It added: ‘We are also unable to run trains from Amsterdam, Brussels and Lille to London on these dates.
‘We can confirm that our trains will continue to operate from Paris to London.
‘The plan is to resume all our train services to and from the UK on Wednesday 23rd December.’
It said it was awaiting further details from relevant governments on how travel restrictions will be enforced.
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