More troops sent in as thousands of lorry drivers spend Christmas in cabs

A FURTHER 800 military personnel were sent to Kent to help thousands of lorry drivers waiting to cross into France on Christmas Day.

Some 1,100 troops have been deployed as part of the operation at the English Channel border after French Covid-19 restrictions caused severe disruption at the

Port of Dover.

Thousands of hauliers spent Christmas Day in their cabs despite efforts to clear the backlog of lorries.

Army personnel will be testing drivers for coronavirus and distributing food and water, the Ministry of Defence (MOD) said.

Transport Secretary Grant

Shapps said yesterday that more than 10,000 tests had been carried out, of which 24 came back positive for the virus.

France closed its border last Sunday following the discovery of a fast-spreading mutant Covid-19 strain in the UK.

Drivers must now show proof of a negative coronavirus test result taken within the past 72 hours before crossing into the country.

About 4,000 vehicles, including 2,000 freight lorries and 1,000 cars, have been cleared for departure at Dover since the border re-opened on Wednesday, a port spokesman said.

However, about 5,000 lorries remained unable to get home, despite some progress in testing drivers in their vehicles at nearby Manston Airport, on a closed section of the M20, and in the town of Dover itself.

Some have already spent nearly a week stranded due to the diplomatic impasse.

Traffic was moving smoothly through Dover yesterday morning, with French firefighters drafted in to help test drivers.

Germany’s ambassador to the UK, Andreas Michaelis, said some German hauliers had managed to make it home for Christmas, while others remained in Kent. He tweeted: “Some of the German lorry drivers we’ve been in touch with are on their way home or at home already. Others sadly remain stuck.

“I sincerely hope things will start moving for them soon. This is a difficult Christmas. Our thoughts are with them.”

Southeastern railway and Network Rail arranged for food to be delivered to drivers stuck in Operation Brock on the M20.

Seven trains carrying crates of food for the hauliers have left London in the past 48 hours, with the Salvation Army distributing the items. HM Coastguard said its teams in the Dover area had so far delivered 3,000 hot meals, 600 pizzas, 2,985 packed lunches and 17 pallets of water to those waiting.

The MOD said additional soldiers were deployed yesterday as part of Operation Rose to support the 300 personnel already there.

Mr Shapps said he had instructed the Army to take control of testing and HGV management in order to get “foreign hauliers home with their families as quickly as we can”.

He tweeted: “A huge thank you for the tireless efforts of our troops, police, civilian testers, council planners, port and ferry workers.”