Motorways to ro-ro ports in Kent in south-eastern England were jammed with lines of trucks on Monday morning after France banned all passenger and freight traffic from the UK.
Paris took the step to prevent the spread of a new and more easily transmitted strain of coronavirus.
The British government called on hauliers not to drive to the main ro-ro ports in southern England after the 48-hour ban came into force rapidly after the UK imposed tighter lockdown rules on London and the county of Kent.
“Following the French government’s announcement it will not accept any passengers arriving from the UK for the next 48 hours, we’re asking the public and particularly hauliers not to travel to Kent ports or other routes to France,” British transport secretary Grant Shapps announced on Twitter.
“We expect significant disruption in the area.”
The disruption caused immediate traffic jams of the kind feared from the end of the month when the UK’s exit from the European Union takes effect after the transition period this year. The final Brexit milestone comes as a largely untested digital customs systems is set to be put into operation alongside potential new tariffs if the UK fails to secure a trade deal with the EU.
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson is to chair an emergency response meeting on Monday to discuss the disruption to travel, particularly the flow of freight, a spokeswoman for his office said.
France’s bar was on all people, including freight carriers, coming by road, sea, rail or air from the UK for 48 hours from Sunday night. Britain’s main ro-ro port of Dover in Kent said its ferry terminal was closed.
Other European countries are taking similar action, and Stena Line said on Sunday that for at least the next 48 hours, passenger travel was not permitted on its ferry services from the UK into the Republic of Ireland and until further notice no passenger travel was allowed from the UK into the Netherlands, affecting its Harwich to Hook of Holland service.
Travel bans due to the Covid-19 upswing are also being implemented from the UK to Germany, Italy and non-European countries including Israel.
Transport and food industry sources have warned that the bans could have a devastating effect on supplies over the holiday period.
The latest deadline in the Brexit trade deal talks passed without any agreement on Sunday. Talks will resume in Brussels today, but the slow and difficult negotiations suggest the UK could begin 2021 without a deal in place.
