More than 2,800 lorries queue in Kent as as drivers await update from Transport Secretary Grant Shapps

Luke O'Reilly23 December 2020

More than 2,800 lorries have been forced to queue in Kent for the third day in a row with many drivers left without access to water or a toilet.

The queue continues to grow while the Port of Dover and Eurotunnel remain closed to traffic leaving the country, with drivers facing a third night sleeping in their cabs.

Kent County Council said by Tuesday afternoon more than 2,800 lorries were being held up by the ban on travel to France.

It came as Transport Secretary Grant Shapps warned haulier to avoid driving to Kent tonight - despite reaching an agreement with France to ease its travel ban.

Transport Secretary Grant Shapps tweeted: “Good progress today and agreement with the French Government on borders.

“We will provide an update on hauliers later this evening, but hauliers must still NOT travel to Kent this evening.”

Freight unable to make the crossing to France have been told to go to Manston Airport, near Ramsgate, which is now being used as a lorry park.

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A driver of a freight lorry talks on his phone as he stands outside his cab 
AFP via Getty Images

Laszlo Baliga, 51, from London, who is a truck driver himself, spent Tuesday delivering food and water to those lined up in the disused airfield.

He began taking supplies after Hungarian drivers stranded in the lorry park posted on Facebook asking for help, with one driver telling him the only toilet on the site had been blocked.

“No water and no toilet now – there is one toilet, but it is now blocked,” Mr Baliga told the PA news agency.

He and friends have so far spent more than £500 on food and water for drivers at the site.

Delivering bottles of water, Mr Baliga said: “This is our third time, we have got ready-to-eat sausages, bread, tomatoes, lettuce, coffee. Basic foods for now for the drivers.

“When we see Hungarian drivers coming in we say stop, and the drivers take things in to the other side to give to everybody.”

He added: “We like to help because this is a difficult time.”

Mr Baliga said he intends to return on Wednesday to continue taking food and drink to those in need.

One driver, who was turned back from Dover on Sunday night, called for immediate help from the Government over the lack of toilet and washing facilities for drivers.

Ronald Schroeder, 52, from Hamburg, Germany, said: “I am now staying in a hotel, but in front of the hotel there are thousands of people without any rooms waiting to come over the Channel crossing.

“I feel a little bit like Robinson Crusoe on an island.”

He called for public toilets to be opened for drivers and tea and coffee for those stranded.

The Government said there was “more than adequate health and welfare provisions” available for hauliers.

Eurotunnel Freight posted on Twitter that an agreement could be reached for drivers to enter France if they could provide a negative Covid-19 test.

A spokeswoman for the Port of Dover said: “Nothing has changed, the port is still closed, we are waiting to hear any updates.”

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