UK Secretary of State for Housing says clearing UK-France border backlog will take days
Dec 23, 2020
London [UK], December 23 (ANI/Sputnik): UK Secretary of State for Housing Robert Jenrick said on Wednesday that it will take days to clear the backlog of freight trucks stuck in the UK after France agreed to reopen the English Channel route it had temporarily closed over the fear of the new coronavirus strain.
"There is going to be quite a lot of work to do over the next few days, and this isn't going to be an issue that we are resolved immediately," Jenrick told Sky News broadcaster.
He said that after the UK government reached "what seems a sensible way forwards" with the French authorities on Tuesday evening, rail, air and sea services were set to be resumed "this morning".
"We'd now have to move on and ensure that traffic can flow as quickly as possible across the Channel," Jenrick added.
The minister also confirmed that all people travelling from the UK into France required to show proof of a negative COVID-19 test taken within the previous 72 hours.
He said that truck drivers queuing to cross to France will require to take a lateral flow test at the border and if the result comes out positive, they will be offered a COVID-secured hotel accommodation in a nearby area to self-isolate for 10 days.
Last week, the UK identified a new variant of the coronavirus that is 70 per cent more transmissible than other SARS-CoV-2 virus strains. After media reports, over 40 countries across the world shut their borders and halted travel to the United Kingdom. (ANI/Sputnik)
