Drivers in Dover clash with the police
A man has been arrested after lorry drivers stranded by the French travel ban clashed with police in Kent.
More than 5,000 HGVS are being held in the county, with drivers being tested for Covid-19 before they are allowed into France.
There were reports of disturbances at Dover and at the lorry holding facility in Manston.
A man has been arrested after lorry drivers stranded by the French travel ban clashed with police in Kent.
More than 5,000 HGVS are being held in the county, with drivers being tested for Covid-19 before they are allowed into France.
There were rep or ts of disturbances at Dover and at the lorry holding facility in Manston involving those waiting to cross the Channel yesterday morning, Kent Police said.
Footage showed a handful of officers attempting to push back a crowd of pro testing drivers in Dover.
One man has been arrested for obstructing a highway in Dover and remains in custody, while a police car was also damaged during a disturbance at Manston.
Communities Secretary Robert Jenrick warned it may take a "few days" to clear the backlog of lorries waiting to cross into France, despite the travel restrictions being eased and them ass testing of lorry drivers being underway.
The British Retail Consortium (BRC) said there may be shortages of some fresh goods until the backlog is cleared.
"Until the backlog is cleared and supply chains return to normal, we anticipate issues with the availability of some fresh go o ds," Andrew Opie, the BRC'S director of food and sustainability, said.
France eased the travel ban yesterday, but said those seeking entry into the country from the UK must have a negative coronavirus result.
France imposed th et ravel ban in response to fears about the spread of the more infectious coronavirus strain, which is spreading in the UK.
Hauliers must be able to show proof of a negative test result carried out within the past 72 hours in order to be able to cross into France.
Those who return a positive corona virus result will be offered a PCR test for a more "refined" result, Mr Jenrick told Sky News.
Drivers will then be moved into C ovid-secure hotel accommodation tos el f-i solate for ten days if the second test comes back positive.
The disused air field site at Manston has become the main testing centre for hauliers, with drivers required to self-administer the tests in their cabs under supervision.
There were 3,800 vehicles at the Manston site yesterday morning, along with 632 HGVS on the M 20 as part of Operation Stack and 610 in Operation Brock, the Department for Transport (DFT) said.
Around 170 military personnel are assisting with testing.
Hauliers have been urged not to travel to Kent until further notice.
Dozens of drivers at the Manston site could be seen standing outside their lorries waiting for food and water yesterday.
Others were honking their vehicle's horns in unison to demonstrate their feelings.
Polish lorry driver Greg Bar an ski ,39, who has been stranded for two days, said: "We have just two food trucks for maybe 2,000 drivers. We are waiting for one hamburger for around two hours in the rain. It's not nice. People here are from Romania, Lithuania, Spain, Portugal, and we are all really angry and hungry."