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Eurotunnel warns of lengthy delays due to 'migrant activity' | Eurotunnel warns of lengthy delays due to 'migrant activity' |
(about 1 hour later) | |
Eurotunnel has warned passengers they face long delays after what it described as "migrant activity". | |
The operator said there were delays in Kent of around an hour before check-in and two hours on site at the terminal. Services from Calais are on schedule. | |
Police warned of more delays due to Operation Stack, which shuts parts of the coast-bound M20 to cars. | |
Eurotunnel services have been hit by strikes and migrants targeting lorries for weeks. | |
On Friday, many were held up on one of the busiest days for travel. | |
And shortly before midnight on Friday, Eurotunnel was forced to briefly suspend services after migrants accessed the Eurotunnel terminal on the French side. | |
In other travel updates: | |
Operation Stack, which is designed to help deal with disruption and involves parking up lorries waiting to reach France, remains in place. | |
The operation means the M20 is closed to non-freight traffic between junctions eight and 11. | |
Lorries have now been parked on the motorway for a total of 19 days over the past three months. | Lorries have now been parked on the motorway for a total of 19 days over the past three months. |
'National significance' | |
James Hookham, from the Freight Transport Association, said the delays were costing £750,000 every day. | James Hookham, from the Freight Transport Association, said the delays were costing £750,000 every day. |
"It's a big number and it's certainly of national significance because what is in that queue is the exports of the United Kingdom," he told BBC Breakfast. "It's not just a Kent and south east England problem, what we're looking at is delays and costs to the whole economy." | "It's a big number and it's certainly of national significance because what is in that queue is the exports of the United Kingdom," he told BBC Breakfast. "It's not just a Kent and south east England problem, what we're looking at is delays and costs to the whole economy." |
On Friday, talks were held between MPs, Kent County Council, Kent Police, cross-Channel operators and hauliers on how to deal with the disruption. | On Friday, talks were held between MPs, Kent County Council, Kent Police, cross-Channel operators and hauliers on how to deal with the disruption. |
Damian Green, the Conservative MP for Ashford and former immigration minister, said: "It ought to be possible to protect the Eurotunnel terminal at Coquelles - that is not an impossible policing task. I know our government is urging very hard the French government to meet its responsibilities there." | Damian Green, the Conservative MP for Ashford and former immigration minister, said: "It ought to be possible to protect the Eurotunnel terminal at Coquelles - that is not an impossible policing task. I know our government is urging very hard the French government to meet its responsibilities there." |
It is thought there are now about 5,000 migrants in Calais. | It is thought there are now about 5,000 migrants in Calais. |
On Friday, Eurotunnel said police were being called each night to remove migrants from its Coquelles base in France. | |
It said the migrant activity was well organised and planned, with people so desperate to reach the UK they were prepared to throw themselves at trains travelling at 90mph. | |
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