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One French cleaner sacked — Polish driver's 1,000 trucks trapped on M20 would have c
Page 13
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UK El 80,00C
A FRENCH UNION dispute over the sacking of a cleaner led to miles of tailbacks on the M20 last week, as 1.000 trucks were forced to park up.
The Port of Calais was brought to a standstill on 28 November; it was unable to accept incoming ferries from Dover during the 24-hour stoppage. The Freight Transport Association (FTA) estimates the disruption cost the UK and Continental transport industry £2m.
A spokesman for Dover Port says 85% of its shipping capacity travels to Calais; he reports it lost about 50 departures during the French strike, descri bing the situation as a logistical headache". Eddie Green,MD of N orfolk Line,says Operation Stack the Kent Police emergency traffic control plan which turned the M20 into a lorry park helped ease congestion. but it still hit his company financially.
"Trucks standing in queues for five or six hours cost money," he remarks.
Kent Police were still enforcing Operation Stack two days later and were advising motorists to avoid the M20 after Junction 10 and use the A20 instead. An ETA spokesman concludes: "Here we are in the high-tech 21st century, obliged to put up with delays and costs caused by the frequent French dash to strike action. It's infuriating. expensive and stupid!"