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Calais ferry sailings resume as ministers intervene Calais lorry queue 'could clear in 48 hours' after port reopens
(about 3 hours later)
Lorries caught up in huge jams on the M20 heading for the Port of Dover are beginning to move after limited ferry services resumed. A huge backlog of lorries on the M20 could be cleared within 48 hours after the port of Calais reopened fully, P&O has said.
A blockade at Calais by French ferry workers, which started on Monday, has been suspended, although the threat of further action remains. A protest by French ferry workers, which was in its fourth day, has been suspended, but the threat of further action remains.
Home Secretary Theresa May is due to discuss the problems with her French counterpart Bernard Cazeneuve in Paris. Lorries which had been stuck 30-mile queues on the Kent motorway began moving on Thursday.
The Port of Calais is restricting entry to one ferry per hour. The Port of Calais had been restricting entry to one ferry per hour.
P&O said Calais port was open for traffic in both directions and it would sail every two hours from Dover to Calais. But at 16:30 BST, P&O announced the French port had fully reopened and was moving back to its scheduled 25 sailings a day between Dover and Calais.
The Port of Dover said it had no idea when the industrial action would end and Highways England predicted it would take until Monday to clear the backlog. Highways England had predicted it would take until Monday to clear the backlog, even if the blockade were lifted immediately, but P&O chief executive Helen Deeble said the firm expected to carry lorries waiting as part of Operation Stack within 48 hours.
Prime Minister David Cameron and Home Secretary Theresa May have been in talks with their French counterparts.
As Mrs May met French interior minister Bernard Cazeneuve, the Port of Dover reported every day of disruption was costing the UK economy at least £250m - a figure based on a study last year which found business through the port was worth £100bn a year.
Operation StackOperation Stack
Thousands of lorries remain stranded on the M20 in Kent, with the coastbound carriageway shut for 26 miles, although after ferry services resumed, the clear-up began to gather momentum. Thousands of lorries remain stranded on the M20, with the coastbound carriageway shut for 26 miles, although the clear-up began to gather momentum after ferry services resumed.
The BBC's Angus Crawford, who is near the M20, said the backlog of lorries was now being moved "in large numbers" towards Dover. The BBC's Angus Crawford, who is near the motorway, said the backlog of lorries was now being moved "in large numbers" towards Dover.
He said: "Police are releasing HGVs in groups to head to Dover and the tunnel. Vehicles behind them are being moved up to join the queue. The M20 at junction nine is still closed to traffic in both directions."He said: "Police are releasing HGVs in groups to head to Dover and the tunnel. Vehicles behind them are being moved up to join the queue. The M20 at junction nine is still closed to traffic in both directions."
Phase four of Operation Stack, in which the motorway was closed from Leeds Castle to Folkestone to park lorries, was put in place for the first time on Wednesday. Phase four of Operation Stack, in which the motorway was closed from Leeds Castle to Folkestone, was put in place for the first time on Wednesday.
The London-bound carriageway was also closed between Leeds Castle and Ashford, with more than 4,600 lorries parked on the motorway, while non-freight traffic was advised to avoid the M20 and find alternative routes. The London-bound carriageway was also closed between Leeds Castle and Ashford, while non-freight traffic was advised to avoid the M20 and find alternative routes.
Action and reactionAction and reaction
Kent County Council staff were back on the motorway for a third day, handing out bottles of water to stranded drivers and passengers.Kent County Council staff were back on the motorway for a third day, handing out bottles of water to stranded drivers and passengers.
They gave out 7,000 bottles on Wednesday plus 700 snack meals on top of the 2,000 bottles of water and 750 meals on Tuesday. The authority handed out thousands of water bottles and hundreds of snack meals on Tuesday and Wednesday.
But reporter Tomos Morgan, who was travelling with a lorry driver to Belgium, said those stranded midway between junctions had to wait up to 12 hours for water.But reporter Tomos Morgan, who was travelling with a lorry driver to Belgium, said those stranded midway between junctions had to wait up to 12 hours for water.
The impact has been felt in surrounding areas, with much of the key north-south routes through Kent blocked for several days and other roads unable to cope with the fallout. Blockade in figures
The impact has been felt in surrounding areas, with man major north-south routes through Kent blocked for several days, leaving other roads unable to cope with the fallout.
'Absolute bedlam''Absolute bedlam'
Christine Drury, chairman of Westwell Parish Council, a few miles from the M20 near Ashford, said the current disruption was the biggest to the community so far because of the closure of both carriageways. Christine Drury, chairman of Westwell village Parish Council, said the current disruption was the biggest to the community so far because of the closure of both carriageways.
She said an overturned lorry on the A20, which was bearing the brunt of the extra traffic, caused "absolute bedlam" and effectively shut off the village. She said an overturned lorry on the A20, which was bearing the brunt of the extra traffic, caused "absolute bedlam" and effectively shut off the village, near Ashford,
But further chaos was averted when French air traffic controllers called off industrial action in a separate dispute.But further chaos was averted when French air traffic controllers called off industrial action in a separate dispute.
French workers on MyFerryLink staged their wildcat strike to protest at the sale of the Eurotunnel-owned ships to Danish firm DFDS after a competition authority ruling.French workers on MyFerryLink staged their wildcat strike to protest at the sale of the Eurotunnel-owned ships to Danish firm DFDS after a competition authority ruling.
DFDS officially took over the MyFerryLink service at midnight.DFDS officially took over the MyFerryLink service at midnight.
DFDS continues to run to Dunkirk, with an additional ship diverted to the route to help accommodate heavy traffic.DFDS continues to run to Dunkirk, with an additional ship diverted to the route to help accommodate heavy traffic.
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