Security stepped up at Dover and Calais
Security is being stepped up at Calais and Dover following yesterday’s strikes, which prompted migrants to try to board delayed vehicles.
Industrial action by ferry workers at Calais caused severe disruption yesterday to ferries, Eurotunnel and Eurostar services.
Around 100 crew from ferry operator MyFerryLink had formed a blockade at Calais, forcing the port to close.
They were protesting about possible job cuts following Eurotunnel’s sale of the former SeaFrance cross channel business to DFDS Seaways.
Amid the chaos, hundreds of migrants at the French port tried to board slow-moving lorries heading to the UK.
An estimated 3,000 migrants are believed to be living rough around Calais hoping to get a chance to cross the Channel.
The government is now setting up a new taskforce to tackle the immigration problem, including staff from the Border Force, the National Crime Agency, Immigration Enforcement and the Crown Prosecution Service.
Eurostar services were also impacted yesterday when protestors stormed the track and forced Eurotunnel to close tunnels.
Later on, the rail operator reported that a fire outside the tunnel, started by the demonstrators, was causing further delays.
Ferry services from Dover to Calais were suspended and Calais was closed until 20:00.
This morning, P&O Ferries, DFDS, MyFerryLink, Eurostar and Eurotunnel said services were back to normal.
Bev
Editor in chief Bev Fearis has been a travel journalist for 25 years. She started her career at Travel Weekly, where she became deputy news editor, before joining Business Traveller as deputy editor and launching the magazine’s website. She has also written travel features, news and expert comment for the Guardian, Observer, Times, Telegraph, Boundless and other consumer titles and was named one of the top 50 UK travel journalists by the Press Gazette.
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