London (AFP)
London and Paris reached an agreement on Tuesday to end the crisis by allowing truck drivers stranded in the United Kingdom because of the spread of a new strain of coronavirus to leave the country with a rapid Covid test.
The port of Dover announced in the wake of its reopening at 23:00 GMT, warding off the threat of shortages after the blockade in England of thousands of trucks following France's decision to suspend accompanied freight transport, including the United Kingdom. Uni is very dependent.
To be able to travel to France, "all truck drivers, regardless of their nationality, will have to undergo" screening delivering a result in about 30 minutes and sensitive to the new variant, said the British Ministry of Transport in a press release.
"The French government will also carry out sample tests on cargoes coming from the United Kingdom", he added, adding that this protocol "could remain in place until January 6", after revision on the 31st. December.
"I am happy that we have made this important progress with our French counterparts this evening," said UK Transport Minister Grant Shapps in a statement.
- "Two to three days" -
However, he urged the drivers not to go to Kent, where the port of Dover is located, the time to decongest the area, where nearly 3,000 trucks are piled up.
He told British television that it could take "two to three days".
A little earlier in the evening, France had announced a limited resumption of links with the United Kingdom, authorizing from Wednesday, subject to a negative PCR test less than 72 hours before departure, the return of French and foreigners who reside in France or in the European area or who "have to make essential trips".
Belgium and the Netherlands have adopted similar measures, following a recommendation from the European Commission to facilitate the resumption of traffic with the UK for "essential travel" and "to avoid supply chain disruptions" .
Some member states, like Germany, have decided to wait.
Despite this release, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has not finished with the puzzle caused by the new strain of SARS-CoV-2.
Struggling to reach a post-Brexit agreement with Brussels within 10 days of the deadline, he had to re-limit 16 million Britons and, in addition to France, he must also manage the decision of some fifty countries in total. ban arrivals from the UK.
According to local authorities in Kent, more than 2,800 heavy goods vehicles were stranded there on Tuesday: more than 600 on the motorway leading from London to the port of Dover and the others parked at a former nearby airport where, in the afternoon, they honked for more than half an hour, being heard for miles around.
The port of Dover has indicated that they could be tested there.
According to Rod McKenzie, the general manager of the road transport association, the stranded drivers were offered "a cereal bar" on Monday from the local Kent community.
"Very little, I think, to support them morally," he told the BBC.
In addition, there is the "big problem" of access to toilets and the sanitary issue.
- Rationing -
If the products for Christmas meals, although largely upset by the restrictions to fight against the spread of the epidemic, were spared because they had already been transported on British soil, there was a threat, due to lack of unblocking, for supply - especially fruit and vegetables, according to distributors.
British supermarket giant Tesco announced on Tuesday it would ration essentials like eggs and soap.
The fear is all the stronger as the days are numbered before the end of the post-Brexit transition period on December 31.
Trade negotiations between London and Brussels have still not succeeded and in the event of failure, the appearance of quotas and customs duties raises fears of serious disruptions in the country's supplies.
Monday, Boris Johnson, criticized for his management of the pandemic which has killed more than 68,000 people, one of the heaviest tolls in Europe, argued that the risks of transmission by "lonely" truck drivers are "really very low" .
© 2020 AFP