Shropshire trucker speaks of port chaos over Calais
A European freight driver from Shropshire has spoken of the traffic chaos on the approach to the Eurotunnel terminal near Folkestone following reports of "migrant activity" in France and a strike by French ferry workers.
Ian Johnson, from Ludlow, said he was stuck for hours in traffic on the M20 in Kent after police closed part of the road.
The Foreign Office this week advised holidaymakers to avoid Calais after a flare was fired at a ferry by French protesters.
And yesterday a stretch of the M20 on the approach to the coast was closed for a second time
Police said the latest closure was because of a large amount of freight heading towards Dover and the Eurotunnel terminal as well as continued industrial action by striking ferry workers in Calais.
Mr Johnson, who runs Ian Johnson Express European Freight, said the road was also closed on Friday(24), causing huge tailbacks.
However, he said the situation was much calmer when he arrived in Calais, with the traffic moving freely.
"It's only when you are queuing to get to Britain that you have the trouble with the migrants," he said.
"Otherwise, they tend not to bother."
He said the real test would come on the return trip to Britain later this week.
"Fortunately, I don't do the next day deliveries. I didn't need to get to France until Monday, but I always allow a bit of extra time. The days of just turning up and getting on the ferry are long over."
The M20 has been described as a "giant lorry park" after police shut off a stretch of motorway between Junction 8 Hollingbourne and Junction 13 for Folkestone, to ease congestion at the ports.
Eurotunnel said its passenger services were disrupted, with waiting times of up to an hour in both directions due to what the company described as "an incident on the terminal".
The firm said: "We sincerely apologise for the inconvenience this will cause to your journey."
Kent Police reminded lorry drivers that those at the front of the queue would get a ticket to continue their journey to the continent, but those who tried to beat the wait by using the non-freight diversion would be sent to the back of the queue.
Janette Bell, commercial director at P&O Ferries, said: "We are aware of the Foreign Office advice that cross-Channel customers should check with their operator before travelling and would like to make clear that the port of Calais is at present safe and open for business.
"P&O Ferries' customers at the port of Calais have thankfully not been affected by the well-publicised problems which we have seen at Eurotunnel. Traffic on the slip roads can access the port freely, cars and lorries queue safely and efficiently in a secure area, and there is no point at which illegal migrants come into contact with our passengers."
