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| Calais lorry queue 'could clear in 48 hours' after port reopens | Calais lorry queue 'could clear in 48 hours' after port reopens |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| A huge backlog of lorries on the M20 could be cleared in 48 hours after the port of Calais reopened, P&O has said. | |
| French union bosses have said the strike by ferry workers which caused the gridlock will remain suspended until at least Tuesday. | |
| The Port of Dover said the disruption caused by the action was costing the UK at least £250m a day. | |
| Thousands of lorries had been stuck in 30-mile queues on the Kent motorway, before finally moving on Thursday. | |
| The French Transport Minister has promised further talks next Wednesday with French union Maritime Nord, which wants to safeguard 570 jobs. | |
| Operation Stack, which saw roads closed for the lorries to park, will remain in place overnight, police said. | |
| Port officials in Calais had been restricting entry to one ferry per hour. | Port officials in Calais had been restricting entry to one ferry per hour. |
| But at 16:30 BST, P&O announced the French port had fully reopened and the ferry operator was moving back to its scheduled 25 sailings a day between Dover and Calais. | But at 16:30 BST, P&O announced the French port had fully reopened and the ferry operator was moving back to its scheduled 25 sailings a day between Dover and Calais. |
| 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. | 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. | 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, Dover port chief executive Tim Waggott said 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. | As Mrs May met French interior minister Bernard Cazeneuve, Dover port chief executive Tim Waggott said 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 Stack | Operation Stack |
| 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. | 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. |
| 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. | 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, 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. |
| Disability charity Scope revealed it had cancelled its London-to-Paris fundraising bike ride this weekend because of the delays caused by the strike. | Disability charity Scope revealed it had cancelled its London-to-Paris fundraising bike ride this weekend because of the delays caused by the strike. |
| Action and reaction | Action and reaction |
| Kent County Council continued to co-ordinate the distribution of water and food to stranded drivers and passengers. | Kent County Council continued to co-ordinate the distribution of water and food to stranded drivers and passengers. |
| But reporter Tomos Morgan, who was travelling with a lorry driver to Belgium, said those stranded midway between junctions had 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 had to wait up to 12 hours for water. |
| Blockade in figures | 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. | 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 village Parish Council, 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, near Ashford, | 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 but striking workers are continuing to occupy two ships. | |
| It continues to run to Dunkirk, with an additional ship diverted to the route to help accommodate heavy traffic. | |
| Are you travelling between England and France today? Has your journey been disrupted? You can email your stories to haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk | Are you travelling between England and France today? Has your journey been disrupted? You can email your stories to haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk |
| If you are happy to speak to a BBC journalist, please include your contact telephone number. | If you are happy to speak to a BBC journalist, please include your contact telephone number. |
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