Channel crossings

[Colin McKay]

A lot of people at Brands were asking me about the potential for disruption this week, in particular with next weekend's meeting at Spa in mind. I'm no oracle but I do get a steady stream of updates from industry contacts, so if anyone wants the latest info PM me your email address and I'll try and keep you posted.

At the moment the situation is that Stack was lifted on Saturday, but the French unions are in talks with management today so watch this space. Eurotunnel & P+O are running to schedule (they always say that!) but DFDS are only sailing to Dunkirk "no berth availability at Calais".

[jodi]

Eurotunnel are running as normal - my family traveled from Spain yesterday and they were on schedule with no delays.

[Mike Bell]

I'm chancing Calais to Dover first thing in the morning.........

[Colin McKay]

Mike, if you read this in time it's Bastille day tomorrow (Tuesday) - no trucks allowed to run after 22.00 tonight until 22.00 Tuesday but in an unusually enlightened move they will allow movements in departments 62 & 59 only ie Pas de Calais & Lille areas. First time i've known them to allow that, just make sure you cross the county line before 10 o'clock tonight!

[terence]

Why should they care, doubt if they will stop the immies from making thier way to Calais overnight. (Or any other time come to that)

[Colin McKay]

They'll be disappointed Tel, no buses until Wednesday!

[Mike Bell]

Originally Posted by Colin McKay

Mike, if you read this in time it's Bastille day tomorrow (Tuesday) - no trucks allowed to run after 22.00 tonight until 22.00 Tuesday but in an unusually enlightened move they will allow movements in departments 62 & 59 only ie Pas de Calais & Lille areas. First time i've known them to allow that, just make sure you cross the county line before 10 o'clock tonight!

Bastille Day much discussed at Monza, Colin! I could have got close to Calais last night but for security didn't. Did last 2.5hrs in the dead of night while all the authorities zizzing..... Despite the no truck rule all I saw on the way was trucks! The 62 & 59 Exemption I believe allows movement along the coast to Belgium?

BTW there is another exemption for trucks going to sporting events, but doesn't mention returning from!

Calais is perfectly normal this morning- as in cold, raining, 60 min to get through check-in, crap facilities while waiting to board...... Only issue seems to be, that as P&O are only ferries operating, all the queue is for their check-ins, rather than spread over the previous 3 operators. Could do with giving some of the other booths to them!

[Mike Bell]

Just an observation on the M20/A20 route to Dover. For a while now there has been a 40mph Limit with AS cameras on last few miles, which really slows down traffic on approach, especially when someone decides that 30mph is the new 40.... Port traffic has to use left lane only as approach first roundabout then all way through town, and this morning that made quite a tailback up the hill. There is usually police presence on the roundabout stopping any transgressors. What I'm not sure is whether the system applies just to freight or all trying to get into docks, so be alert......

[MGDavid]

I believe the left lane is for trucks only Mike; cars and motorhomes have no problem down the outside and then finding a gap to slip into after pulling away from one of the several sets of lights in the town :-)

[terence]

Originally Posted by Colin McKay

They'll be disappointed Tel, no buses until Wednesday!

[Mike Bell]

Thanks David, hence the recommendation for tourist traffic to use A2/M2 route if possible, I guess?

Recently there was a media piece suggesting that French authorities were to install water and electricity at the 'Jungle' illegal immigrant camp to make life more comfortable. Now there is news of a permanent secure truck parking area to be built in the area- maybe one and the same?

[zefarelly]

Did Eurotunnel yesterday @7am out and 1pm home, stocked up on cheese and wine whilst waiting for a car to arrive, all perfectly normal.

Supermarket was heaving at 9am!

[Tim Falce]

M20 is closed again due to operation stack.

[Mike Bell]

Originally Posted by Tim Falce

M20 is closed again due to operation stack.

I'm starting to wonder why- is it because of DFDS only sailing to Dunkirk? P&O are running a normal service, so their customers must be getting well pee'd off with having to queue! When I did 'Stack' 2 weeks ago, the P&O ferry I got on eventually was not even half full, as customers couldn't get to check-in because port was jammed with DFDS booked trucks! The 0745 boat from Calais yesterday was almost empty as well.....

[delta]

I had the little truck and crafter out today with no probs at all . Yummy dinner in posh restaurant as well 😄

[Tim Falce]

Apparently more furiners trying to board the trains and three injured. So the tunnel was shut for 90 minutes yet the queues are back to Maidstone, something not adding up here

[Mike Bell]

Originally Posted by Tim Falce

the queues are back to Maidstone, something not adding up here

Exactly!

[Mike Bell]

Well, although probably of no interest to the majority, looks like Operation Stack is no longer operating today. What odds on it being reinstated soon as the first truck appears on the M20 tomorrow!

I am starting to think that 'Stack' is the cause of the log jams recently, rather than the answer to......

Unless there is more Union action at Calais or Tunnel, looks like Spa returnees will be fine- apart from normal tourist queues, of course!

[Tim Falce]

I was on the dark side earlier (P****n H***S) and the on the truckers forum they say the Froggy sailors have hijacked both the My Ferry Link boats, now owned by DFDS, and parked them up so there is now a shortage of boats, can't see it myself. The main poster on there who is getting caught up in this weekly reckons it normally gets busy on a Wednesday plus the schools breaking up so he thinks it'll all be back by the middle of next week. I'm off the week after and fancied a trip to the beaches at Normandy for a day or two but I don't think I'll bother.
Why can't the feckin EU mind their own business and let these companies get on with running theirs.

[Mike Bell]

Yes, have probably said this before, but feel sorry for P&O.

So two boats less plying the channel (MFL), and DFDS berths in Calais unavailable to them due to union action. Wonder how many boats they had on that route, now not moving. I heard they were running extra services to Dunquerque, but maybe not. In meantime P&O and Chunnel operating normal service (except for the odd tunnel incident!), so they must have been running near to capacity for the extra traffic to cause a problem! At Dover, maybe the M20 parkers could be checked in and parked dockside (in ex MFL / DFDS space?) to wait for next ferry- which is the way freight bookings work anyway....... Just means rather than 2hrs it could be 4 or 6, but at least there are facilities, and M20 and people of Kent would be saved!

Lucky not of concern personally for 3 weeks....

[Colin McKay]

Advised this morning that Calais "almost normal" (whatever that is) but now farmers are blockading Caen.

Then this, a few moments ago:

An earlier incident whereby Calais was being blocked by lifeboats has now been resolved and sailings have resumed, however due to the disruption P&O do have some delays

Lifeboats???!!! What next???!!!

[Mike Bell]

Originally Posted by Colin McKay

Advised this morning that Calais "almost normal" (whatever that is) but now farmers are blockading Caen.

Then this, a few moments ago:

An earlier incident whereby Calais was being blocked by lifeboats has now been resolved and sailings have resumed, however due to the disruption P&O do have some delays

Lifeboats???!!! What next???!!!

Maybe the lifeboats off the two MFL boats!

Revolting Farmers blockading Caen- fairly easy to do but not sure why they would want to.... EDIT- Over low meat prices, apparently.

But on the bright side, a whole day without the M20 being used as a car park!

[Colin McKay]

My "what next" question has just been answered! The French truckers are planning a go slow protest around Arras tomorrow.

Their gripe?

Wait for it.............

They're protesting about the protesters at Calais

Fortunately for UK racers we seem to be in a quiet period for channel crossings until the Oldtimer comes around, since every port from Normandy to the Belgian border is currently affected to a greater or lesser extent. I wonder if our Euro friends will have problems getting to Silverstone though. One of my guys has spent all day so far trying to get around Le Havre and he's not even using the port, just trying to deliver in the area.

[Mike Bell]

you couldn't make it up....

And I hear that the M20 is stacked again- right on cue!

[Moosehead]

I'm thinking for the 6Hour maybe the UK contingent should charter one of the 'unused' ferries from say Southampton to Holland and then we could all get there with no hassle and have a little party whilst on our 'mini cruise'.