Anger boils over in Dover as stranded truckers demand to go away UK By Reuters

By John Sibley

DOVER, England (Reuters) – Angry truck drivers briefly scuffled with police within the streets of Dover (NYSE:) on Wednesday as a partial blockade by France designed to cease the unfold of a brand new extremely infectious coronavirus variant left hundreds stranded earlier than Christmas.

Paris and London agreed late on Tuesday that drivers carrying a destructive COVID-19 check end result may board ferries for Calais after a lot of the world shut its borders to Britain to include the brand new mutated variant.

A British minister mentioned the navy would begin testing drivers however he warned that it will take time to clear the backlog, hammering Britain’s most essential commerce route for meals simply days earlier than it leaves the European Union’s orbit.

TV footage confirmed drivers honking their truck horns and flashing lights in unison at midnight whereas within the early hours of the morning many gathered within the roads across the port to vent their frustration and query officers and police.

Scuffles briefly broke out with a small variety of cops.

Many have been within the nation to ship items to firms who’re stockpiling components earlier than Britain lastly leaves the EU on Dec. 31, a transfer that’s anticipated to trigger additional disruption in January when a full customs border comes into power.

Logistics teams have warned that many European drivers have already refused to come back to Britain within the new 12 months after they must carry customs paperwork, and the necessity to safe a COVID-19 check will additional compound the scenario, pushing up freight costs.

“I hope that this morning, you’ll see people and HGVs crossing the Channel at the short straits,” British Housing Secretary Robert Jenrick instructed Sky News.

“We’re putting in place the infrastructure. So the armed forces will be doing that (COVID testing) in the first instance to help us to set that up and to get through some of the backlog that you’ve seen.”

Drivers will first take a lateral circulation COVID-19 check. Anyone who information a constructive end result will take a extra complete PCR check, which takes longer to safe a end result, and anybody testing constructive once more might be given a lodge room to isolate.

The principally European drivers, many stranded with their vehicles and with out entry to scorching meals or lavatory services, have grown more and more indignant because it grew to become clear they might not get dwelling in time for Christmas with their households.

“They don’t give us food, they don’t give us drinks, they don’t give us sanitation, they don’t offer us anything,” he mentioned in Spanish. “The situation is basically inhumane, so what we are asking for is a solution.”

“I think and believe that this happening now isn’t due to coronavirus or anything, it’s due to Brexit, due to internal politics or something of that manner.”