Hundreds of Dutch truck drivers are believed to be stuck in the UK. This is due to travel restrictions due to the highly contagious coronavirus variant there. Transport and Logistics Netherlands (TLN) made this assessment. “Many drivers are standing in long traffic jams in front of ferries and the Channel Tunnel. They are at risk of having to stay in the UK because of the measures against the mutated coronavirus found there.” The union, TLN, called on the cabinet to ensure that truck drivers can return home before Christmas.

‘Major chaos is expected’

TLN also believes that UK drivers will look for alternatives to the crossing. This, they say, could cause chaos. “If all these trucks want to reach the Netherlands via other ports, this will also cause major chaos at other ferry terminals,” a spokesman said. “Because of the Brexit peak in shipping, the shipping companies do not have enough capacity to accommodate the Dover-Calais connection. You can’t just run more ships.” There are also ferry connections for freight between IJmuiden and Newcastle, Hoek van Holland and Harwich and Rotterdam and Hull. Read also: Chaos among Dutch expats after UK complete lockdown: ‘Family will miss me at Christmas’ According to TLN, around 10,000 trucks a day usually travel via the Eurotunnel and ferries from Dover in the UK to Calais in France. The tunnel was closed for 48 hours. France is only allowing unaccompanied cargo, so no drivers. Ferry services from the UK will no longer be allowed to carry people from Sunday evening, the cabinet decided. Air and ship transport will still be allowed. Drivers will be able to travel back and forth on cargo ships, although in limited numbers.

International drivers

According to FNV, there are around 120,000 active truck drivers in the Netherlands. About 5 percent of them, around 6,000 people, work internationally. A quarter of them, around 1,500 drivers, are commuting to the UK, according to union estimates. “We also believe that drivers should only travel to the UK if they have a guarantee from the government that this will happen normally,” said FNV director Willem Dijkhuizen. ANP