France has imposed a 48-hour travel ban amid concerns over the new fast spreading strain of Covid-19 while Brexit has seen an unusually busy period for ports as the UK

Tailbacks at Dover have come to symbolise the perfect storm as the Covid-19 crisis and Brexit collide.

Around 4,000 lorries had intended to leave the UK through Dover but arrivals at the port are being met with signs saying “French borders closed”.

France has placed a ban on hauliers crossing the English Channel with their cargo because of the new fast-spreading spread of Covid-19 identified in the UK.

And prolonged restrictions on Dover trade could have “quite dramatic” ramifications for the UK, the port’s boss warned.

The French Government said it is now working on a plan to get freight moving through Dover “within hours”.

What’s happening elsewhere?

Travellers and accompanied cargo across the UK have seen disruption in movements both in and out of the UK.

HUMBER

In Humber, ships have had to be held at anchor – with return sailings missed – as supplies back up in the Brexit rush.

The final fortnight of the year is normally flat as goods required for Christmas are already in the country, but the January 1 transition period – exacerbated by the pandemic – is causing huge bottlenecks, with onward haulage the key issue . . . .

. . . . continue reading the article on the BusinessLive website here