TANGAZO


Tuesday, June 23, 2015

Lock your doors! Chaos in Calais as port and Channel Tunnel are CLOSED by strikes and Foreign Office issues stark warning to stranded drivers that migrants may try to sneak into their vehicles

.Ferry staff block access to French port and break into the Channel Tunnel causing chaos on both sides  

.Ferries: All MyFerryLink services have been cancelled for the day with P&O services only restarting this evening  

.Cars: EuroTunnel services are severely delayed causing traffic chaos on the M20 leading into Dover in Kent 

.Trains: Eurostar services between St Pancras and Gare du Nord in Paris are suspended until tomorrow    

.Would-be migrants have been seen trying to jump on to lorries at Calais with British holidaymakers warned to keep their doors locked while in traffic

Travellers on both side of the Channel faced chaos today as striking ferry workers broke into the Tunnel, blocked it with rubble and set tyres alight, causing all Eurostar trains to be cancelled.
Lorries were forced to queue for miles along the motorway leading to the port of Dover, while holidaymakers were advised to cancel non-essential travel plans.
Would-be migrants took advantage of the gridlock in Calais to try to sneak into lorries and cars heading towards Britain - leading officials to warn holiday-makers to lock their doors while queuing for a ferry or train.
Around 100 workers from MyFerryLink burned tyres on the main road leading to the tunnel and blocked the French port in a row over redundancy.
Heated protest: Workers from the French company MyFerryLink burn tyres as they block the main road leading to the Channel Tunnel during a wildcat strike in Calais in a redundancy row
Heated protest: Workers from the French company MyFerryLink burn tyres as they block the main road leading to the Channel Tunnel during a wildcat strike in Calais in a redundancy row
Gridlock: Lorries were queuing for miles down the motorway in Kent heading to the port of Dover
Gridlock: Lorries were queuing for miles down the motorway in Kent heading to the port of Dover
Opportunists; Scores of migrants attempt to board a lorry in Calais as a strike by French ferry workers caused travel mayhem
They then broke in to the Channel Tunnel - whose owner Eurotunnel also controls MyFerryLink - where they set more fires.
All Eurostar services are cancelled for the rest of the day, while passengers travelling on LeShuttle trains have been advised not to travel today if their journey is not essential.
Ferries operated by MyFerryLink will not run until tomorrow morning. P&O Ferries started running services again this evening, but has asked passengers to postpones their travels if possible.
So many lorries were queuing for ferries from Dover and Tunnel trains from Folkestone that Kent Police were forced to put 'Operation Stack' in place, using part of the M20 as a queue and diverting regular traffic.
Outside Calais, the protest caused long tailbacks on the A16 motorway which witnesses said had attracted scores of refugees looking to clamber on board stationary trucks bound for the UK.
Desperate: Migrants run away from immigration officers who tried to stop them getting on the motorway
Desperate: Migrants run away from immigration officers who tried to stop them getting on the motorway
Migrants walk on the A16  as lorries queue to access the Channel Tunnel which was blocked by protesters
Migrants walk on the A16 as lorries queue to access the Channel Tunnel which was blocked by protesters

ADVICE FOR TRAVELLERS HOPING TO CROSS THE CHANNEL

TRAINS
All Eurostar trains are cancelled for the rest of the day. Passengers have been warned not to turn up at St Pancras station in London, Gare du Nord in Paris, or any other Eurostar station. Eurostar trains are expected to start running again tomorrow morning. Ticket-holders should go online or call 03432 186 186 to reschedule their journeys.
Eurotunnel LeShuttle services are expected to start running again this evening with severe delays. The company says: 'If your journey is not essential, we recommend that you postpone your trip today.'
CARS
MyFerryLink ferries are cancelled until tomorrow morning.
P&O Ferries between Dover and Calais restarted this evening with severe delays. Passengers are advised not to travel today if they can postpone their journeys.
DFDS Seaways services between Dover and Dunkirk are running with minor delays.
There are severe traffic jams on the M20 heading towards Dover and Folkestone. Police have put 'Operation Stack' in police, diverting non-freight traffic onto the A20 and using parts of the motorway for lorries queuing to get into the port.
PLANES
There are no reported delays to flights between Britain and the Continent.
Police have been forced to move in to protect the vehicles, it was reported by The Local.
British haulier Chris Cary said this afternoon that he had been stuck in Calais for seven hours, and told of the brazen attempts by migrants to try to get on to lorries bound for the UK.
He told Sky News: 'It is a bit of a mess. I have been here since 3am. The industrial action started about 4.45am.
'I shot off down to the train thinking I would get the train, and I couldn't get on the train, so I've come back to the boat and I've been here seven hours so far.
'When I was down at the train, [migrants] were trying your doors to get in the cab, trying to sneak under the axles on the trailers, trying to cut the locks and seals on the back of the trailers, even trying to climb on the roof of the trailers.
'Any way they were trying to get in to get to England. This morning was the worst I had ever seen it because there was no police presence.'
Updated travel advice issued by the Foreign Office today warned: 'Following industrial action at both Calais Port and at Eurotunnel in Coquelles, cross channel services are disrupted.
'There are large numbers of illegal migrants in and around Calais, who may seek to enter the UK illegally. 
'Although local police patrols have been reinforced, you should keep vehicle doors locked in slow moving traffic and secure your vehicle when it is left unattended.'
After protesters broke in to the Tunnel, three Eurostar trains travelling to France had to turn round and return to St Pancras station in London.
Trains on the French side had to travel back to Paris and Brussels, and ticket-holders were warned not to go to the station.
Hundreds of Eurostar passengers were forced to sit on their luggage at St Pancras International as they waited to find out if trains would resume.
James Butcher, 49, who works in recruitment, had travelled down from Birmingham for a business meeting in Paris tomorrow.
Mr Butcher said: 'The last thing you want to see is the word 'cancelled' plastered across the departures board.
'I am going to wait and see if the trains are running tomorrow so I could maybe get in on time.
'With so many people waiting around in the station not knowing what to do it's frustrating to say the least. But what can you do?'
Isabelle Dupont, 29, a freelance artist based in Paris, had been visiting London for three days.
'It's a very frustrating feeling when you only find out about delays and cancellations when you arrive at the station,' she said.
'If I can't work I won't earn any wages, and if there are no trains going back to Paris then I can do neither.
'Train staff said we are welcome to stay at the station for now, but that's not very helpful.'
Marta Habrial, 24, also from Paris, had been visiting London for a few days, but was due to go home today.
'We can't afford to spend more money on London accommodation!' she said.
'I think it's bad the trains have been cancelled. We are not sure what else to do other than wait.'
John Normington, 55, who with his wife had hoped to go to France today for a week's holiday said: 'The French striking is nothing we haven't seen before.
'I do have sympathy for the workers, however, I can understand if they're worried they may lose their jobs.
'But when it's eating into your holiday and you don't know when you can actually travel you start to have less sympathy.'
Greg Buchanan, 43, who is trying to visit a relative in France, said: 'The French have no problem with people making their way into the UK using the Channel.
Queues: Traffic on the M20 headed towards Dover, with cross-Channel ferries and trains tomorrow 
Queues: Traffic on the M20 headed towards Dover, with cross-Channel ferries and trains tomorrow 
Jammed: Even 30 miles from the Channel Tunnel vehicles were unable to move on the motorway
Jammed: Even 30 miles from the Channel Tunnel vehicles were unable to move on the motorway
Emergency: Police instituted 'Operation Stack', using one line of the M20 for queuing lorries
Emergency: Police instituted 'Operation Stack', using one line of the M20 for queuing lorries
'Now they're making it difficult for us to leave the place! I'm fed up already.'
Michael Marston, 38, said: 'The French have already ruined a holiday of mine before because of travel disruptions caused by strikes. Now they're at it again!
'This is not the way I want to start my summer. I don't know whether to stay here or come back tomorrow.' 
British cross-Channel ferry travellers are also facing disruption - a spokesman for the port said: 'Due to a period of industrial action in France commencing at 0350 BST on June 23, the Port of Calais continues to remain closed.
'All ferry services to and from the Port of Dover to Calais remain affected, with DFDS Seaways running a shuttle service to Dunkirk.'
Calais has become the focus of attention recently as migrant numbers close to the port have swelled to more than 3,000 since April. 
British truckers have reported facing violence, intimidation and fears of being fined if migrants clamber on board their trucks. 
Some now take lengthy detours to avoid Calais altogether.
Aid workers have reported a 'catastrophic' situation, with predictions that some 2,000 more migrants displaced from war-torn countries including Eritrea, Syria and Afghanistan could arrive in Calais over the summer.
David Cameron has ordered officials to provide regular updates on the situation in Calais and the impact on British travellers.
Cancelled: All Eurostar trains were called off after protesters managed to break in to the Channel Tunnel
Cancelled: All Eurostar trains were called off after protesters managed to break in to the Channel Tunnel
Crush: Passengers at St Pancras station were left unable to find any method of transport
Crush: Passengers at St Pancras station were left unable to find any method of transport

Riot: French police faced down a large group of militant strikers who work for MyFerryLink
Riot: French police faced down a large group of militant strikers who work for MyFerryLink
Blockade: Protesters set plastic barriers on fire and placed them on the train tracks to disrupt services
Blockade: Protesters set plastic barriers on fire and placed them on the train tracks to disrupt services
Fire: Burning tyres sent up huge plumes of smoke over the port of Calais
Fire: Burning tyres sent up huge plumes of smoke over the port of Calais
The Prime Minister is planning to raise the crisis in talks with French President Francois Hollande in Brussels on Thursday.
'We are in close touch with the French authorities about the situation and will monitor the impact of the strike on British people,' the Prime Minister's official spokesman said.
In a sign of the scale of the challenge the authorities face, last year the Border Force stopped 39,000 people from trying to enter Britain illegally, twice the figure seen in 2013. 
The wildcat strikes closed the Port of Calais and the Channel Tunnel  – sparking reports that migrants were exploiting the traffic chaos to try to sneak into Britain
The wildcat strikes closed the Port of Calais and the Channel Tunnel – sparking reports that migrants were exploiting the traffic chaos to try to sneak into Britain
Dispute: Some 600 French workers from MyFerryLink – formerly known as Sea France – face losing their jobs after shuttle operator Eurotunnel annonced in May that it was ending it partnership with the ferry company
Dispute: Some 600 French workers from MyFerryLink – formerly known as Sea France – face losing their jobs after shuttle operator Eurotunnel annonced in May that it was ending it partnership with the ferry company
Response: Officers on the track trying to clear the rails so trains can run through the Tunnel
Response: Officers on the track trying to clear the rails so trains can run through the Tunnel
Around 600 French workers from MyFerryLink – formerly known as Sea France – face losing their jobs after shuttle operator Eurotunnel announced in May that it was ending its partnership with the ferry company. 
'The French government must put pressure on Eurotunnel CEO Jacques Gounon,' said union chief Eric Vercoutre on Tuesday.
'We are asking that they hear our point of view. We have been betrayed,' he told AFP.
The deputy mayor of Calais, Philippe Mignonet, reiterated calls from French politicians for the border to be moved from northern France to Britain to avoid a repeat of the chaos faced by lorries at the port.
He told the BBC: 'Calais is not the destination. As you've heard, [migrants] want to get into trucks, they want to get to England.Anti-riot policemen stand guard after moving striking employees off the road leading to  the Channel Tunnel
Anti-riot policemen stand guard after moving striking employees off the road leading to the Channel Tunnel
Anti-riot police stand guard over striking ferry workers. British truckers have reported facing violence, intimidation and fears of being fined if migrants clamber on board their vehicles
Anti-riot police stand guard over striking ferry workers. British truckers have reported facing violence, intimidation and fears of being fined if migrants clamber on board their vehicles
'England has got to realise that it is not our responsibility. The English border is in Calais and I'm requesting for the border to be transferred back in Dover and in Folkestone.
'We can't just accept any more, to be blamed for immigrancy. Again, they want to go to England, they are not coming to Calais, they go through Calais to get to England.'
As the migrant crisis worsens, truckers were being advised not to stop within about 60 miles of Calais, to stick with other drivers and make sure padlocks are kept on vehicles.
Donald Armour of the Freight Transport Association said: 'We have heard that the strikers have set up a blockade on the A16 with burning tyres and hay bales, bringing the main motorway to a halt.'

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