Shapps claims ‘this is not unusual’ ahead of emergency Cobra meeting on Dover
Boris Johson will hold a meeting with the government’s emergency committee this morning after France closed its border with the UK following a new, more infectious strain of coronavirus in the South East of England.
Last night the French government banned all travel from the UK for 48 hours, including freight drivers.
The move comes after the Netherlands and Belgium made similar calls after the emergence of a mutant strain of Covid-19 in Britain.
The move will cause chaos at Britain’s ports, including Dover, and raises the prospect of truck-borne goods being held up at the border alongside their drivers for a full two days.
Speaking on Sky News this morning transport secretary Grant Shapps tried to calm fears over food and medical shortages as a result of the changes at Dover.
“It’s not unusual for disruption,” he said, citing the likes of strike and industrial action, and problems with the weather, adding: “the key is to get it resolved.”
He said around 6,000 lorries would not be able to enter the UK today as a result of the ban, and that he “hoped” the disruption would not last for longer than 24 hours.
Only unaccompanied freight will be permitted to cross the Channel for the next two days.