New coronavirus fears: Britain-France transport ban eased
UK-France transport ban
After a snap 48-hour ban to keep new variant of coronavirus from spreading, France and Britain are set to reopen cross-border travel on Wednesday. The blanket ban on travel and transport has threatened supply chains in UK. British PM Boris Johnson faced growing pressure to resolve the earlier deadlock as dramatic images of hundreds of lorries in Dover did rounds.
Late Tuesday, UK Transport Secretary Grant Shapps announced Britain and France had settled on a protocol that "will see the French border reopen to those travelling for urgent reasons, provided they have a certified negative COVID test."
However, he urged lorry drivers not to head to the southern county of Kent in expectations of boarding a ferry or train.
French Transport Minister Jean-Baptiste Djebarri also confirmed that air travel, boats and Eurostar trains would "resume service as of tomorrow morning".
Also Read | UK travel bans should be discontinued to avoid supply chain disruptions: EU
"French nationals, people living in France and those with a legitimate reason will have to be carrying a negative test," he said.
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Despite the breakthrough in talks congestion around the key southern port of Dover remains unlikely to recede in the short term.
Dover authorities said late on Tuesday (local time) that the transit hub would reopen from midnight but only for travellers with negative result.
The measures imposed on hauliers have caused concern over shortages of some fresh food products over a Christmas period already marred by strict coronavirus restrictions.
More than 2,800 lorries remain stranded in the southern English county of Kent, unable to make the crossing to France, with drivers having spent a second night sleeping in their cabs.
As night fell on Tuesday, drivers of some 800 trucks parked at a nearby disused airport sounded their horns for more than half an hour in protest.
Despite the fresh agreement -- which will be reviewed on December 31 -- it is unclear when traffic will begin moving again.
(With AFP inputs)