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| Eurotunnel warns of lengthy delays due to 'migrant activity' | Eurotunnel warns of lengthy delays due to 'migrant activity' |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Eurotunnel has warned passengers they face long delays after what it described as "migrant activity". | 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 90 minutes on site at the terminal. Services from Calais are on schedule. | The operator said there were delays in Kent of around an hour before check-in and 90 minutes 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. | 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. | 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. | 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. | 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: | In other travel updates: |
| BBC correspondent Simon Jones said Eurotunnel is trying to deal with around 50,000 passengers on Saturday - one of the busiest travel days of the year. | BBC correspondent Simon Jones said Eurotunnel is trying to deal with around 50,000 passengers on Saturday - one of the busiest travel days of the year. |
| Passengers face a delay of two-and-a-half hours from Folkestone, he said. | Passengers face a delay of two-and-a-half hours from Folkestone, he said. |
| Operation Stack, which is designed to help deal with disruption and involves parking up lorries waiting to reach France, remains in place. | 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. | 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. |
| Kent Police tweeted: "#OpStack remains in place today J8-11 c/b [coast-bound]. Delays btwn J11 & 11a as passengers queue to enter tunnel. Follow @LeShuttle for updates #alert." | Kent Police tweeted: "#OpStack remains in place today J8-11 c/b [coast-bound]. Delays btwn J11 & 11a as passengers queue to enter tunnel. Follow @LeShuttle for updates #alert." |
| Alison McCabe from Birmingham, who is stuck with her family on the M20, told BBC News: "We haven't got a clue what's happening so it looks like we might have to abandon our holiday and go home to be honest, that's what we're feeling at the moment because we've not got any information." | |
| 'National significance' | 'National significance' |
| Philip Gomm, of the RAC Foundation, said the operation was "causing mayhem for hauliers, holidaymakers and local residents alike." | Philip Gomm, of the RAC Foundation, said the operation was "causing mayhem for hauliers, holidaymakers and local residents alike." |
| And James Hookham, from the Freight Transport Association, said the delays were costing £750,000 every day. | And 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." |
| In its advice on the situation, the Home Office said: "We are working closely with the French government to seek an urgent return of normal services. We have also increased security and border force operations at the port." | In its advice on the situation, the Home Office said: "We are working closely with the French government to seek an urgent return of normal services. We have also increased security and border force operations at the port." |
| 'Long-term solution' | 'Long-term solution' |
| He said a contraflow system on the M20 could be a way to ease the problem in the short term. | He said a contraflow system on the M20 could be a way to ease the problem in the short term. |
| He added: "We need a long-term solution which requires action on both sides of the Channel." | He added: "We need a long-term solution which requires action on both sides of the Channel." |
| Jean-Marc Puissesseau, president of the Cote d'Opal Chamber of Commerce which runs the port of Calais, told the BBC it was secure. | Jean-Marc Puissesseau, president of the Cote d'Opal Chamber of Commerce which runs the port of Calais, told the BBC it was secure. |
| He told Today: "We have been building more than 3km (1.86 miles) of fences and double fences to avoid any possibility of migrants to try to step on lorries." | He told Today: "We have been building more than 3km (1.86 miles) of fences and double fences to avoid any possibility of migrants to try to step on lorries." |
| 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. | 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. | 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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