Haulage companies are facing major difficulties in Calais, France, as yesterday’s strike by MyFerryLink workers created the ideal conditions for migrants, mainly from war-torn parts of Africa and the Middle East, seeking entry into the UK.
“We are experiencing big problems in Calais,” said Clémentine Cojez of Calais-based trucking firm Carpentier Logistique. “On Monday night, the tunnel had to be closed at around 2am due to the entry of a large number of migrants. It was re-opened at 7am the next morning, but immediately after, the MyFerryLink workers started to strike, blocking access to the tunnel as well as to the port.”
Yesterday morning, the police evacuated protesters gathered in the Eurotunnel, while firemen cleared the road and traffic jams gradually added to the congestion on the A16 motorway.
“The ringroad that leads to the port was still closed until 8pm last night, so no lorry could pass, limiting the influx of migrants,” said Cojez. “Near the tunnel, one driver told us that there were a lot of migrants trying to hide in the lorries. A fight even broke out between the authorities and the migrants, but there are a lot of police protecting the tunnel.”
MyFerryLink today revealed that its crossings between Calais and Dover had returned to normal.
Authorities on both sides of the Channel announced that extra resources had been put into maintaining security and screening vehicles for stowaways.
Lorry drivers have been advised to make sure doors are padlocked and to alert the authorities if they suspect people may have climbed aboard.
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