Agreement opens French border
In an agreement between France and the UK, ferry passengers and lorry drivers can again enter France with a negative Covid-19 test
Entry into France was banned from Sunday because of the mutant coronavirus found in the UK, and this has caused massive traffic congestion on the motorway towards Dover, where the UK Government has initiated the so-called operations stack - placing the many waiting trucks in a special area.
The ferries sailed nearly empty from Dover, but now there is light at the end of the tunnel for the many lorry drivers and travellers stuck in their cars and lorries without access to water and toilets for days – and waiting to get home for Christmas.
Due to an agreement with the UK, France again opened its borders for lorry drivers and other passengers who travel for essential reasons, and the first passengers left Dover early today, Wednesday 23 December.
Negative Covid-19 test
Passengers are required to produce a negative COVID-19 test result upon departure in UK and upon arrival in France that has been conducted within 72 hours of travel. The UK Government is setting up test centres, and for a short time, the French authorities will accept quick tests – the so-call antigen tests – that can provide a result within 30 minutes.
However, with about 4000 trucks waiting, it will take days to get them all to France, and DFDS is considering offering additional sailings on 24 December to help the many who struggle to get home to their families for Christmas
Only EU citizens returning home and those travelling for essential reasons, including lorry drivers, will be able to travel.
DFDS’ passenger and freight departments are already busy informing travelers and lorry drivers about this, including that passengers without a valid, negative test, will be denied boarding and should not come to the port.