Huge queues of lorries have built up at Dover with port bosses predicting that they could reach 20-miles long by the Easter holidays unless Covid checks are lifted.
The Port of Dover’s chief executive Doug Bannister is appealing for government support and said they “still don’t have full access” to daily lateral flow tests, it is reported.
The queues approaching the port have led to the Operation TAP temporary traffic system being implemented to ease congestion.
Under the TAP system all vehicles are restricted to 40mph as they head to the port and lorries must queue in the first lane until there is space.
The queueing is caused by the Covid controls but also the full customs controls on exports that are now in place since January 1.
Mr Bannister said that workers at the port were critical staff and applied to Boris Johnson ’s scheme to give 100,000 key workers daily tests.
He pointed out that the workers “maintained the operations and the critical flow of goods into the nation” reported the BBC.
He continued: “One of the things that would be really handy is for these key workers to be recognised, particularly when we start thinking about lateral flow testing and those sorts of activities.”
With the Easter holidays ahead it is feared that motorway queues could reach 20 miles in length if Covid checks are not abandoned, said a ferry boss.
Chris Parker, director of capacity and passenger performance for DFDS ferry operator, said the need for locator forms and vaccination passports meant there could be long delays at Easter.
Mr Parker told the Daily Mail : “Any sort of significant return in terms of passenger numbers, that’s going to escalate the problem.
“It’s really, really important that we don’t find ourselves around Easter, for example, doing these sort of checks because it simply won’t work.
“The impact would be queues back on to the motorways of Kent, stretching back 10, 20 miles – there’s no question about that – and in fairly short order.”
