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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 are facing delays of around three hours after what it described as "migrant activity" overnight. Eurotunnel has warned passengers they face long delays after what it described as "migrant activity".
Services on both sides of the Channel were suspended on Friday night. 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.
The operator said there were delays of around 60 minutes before check in and two hours at the UK terminal. Operation Stack, with parts of the M20 shut to non-freight traffic, is in place. Police warned of more delays due to Operation Stack, which shuts parts of the coast-bound M20 to cars.
Services from Calais are operating to schedule, it said. Eurotunnel services have been hit by strikes and migrants targeting lorries for weeks.
Eurostar services are running on time. On Friday, many were held up on one of the busiest days for travel.
Eurotunnel, which earlier warned of delays of up to four hours, has said police were being called each night to remove migrants from its Coquelles base in France. And shortly before midnight on Friday, Eurotunnel was forced to briefly suspend services after migrants accessed the Eurotunnel terminal on the French side.
'Planned activity' In other travel updates:
Passenger and freight services were hit by delays on Friday as the firm tried to run services on one of the busiest days for holiday travel. Operation Stack, which is designed to help deal with disruption and involves parking up lorries waiting to reach France, remains in place.
Eurotunnel 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. The operation means the M20 is closed to non-freight traffic between junctions eight and 11.
On Thursday, the body of a teenager was found on a train at the Eurotunnel terminal in Kent.
Operation Stack, which involves parking up lorries waiting to reach France, has remained in place in Kent to deal with the disruption and police have warned it could continue until Sunday.
The operation means that lorries are parked on the M20 in Kent, with the motorway 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.
Le Shuttle, which takes passengers across the channel in cars, caravans, buses or other vehicles, usually operates up to four crossings an hour. 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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