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Eurotunnel service ‘normal’ after migrant disruption

LONDON, July 27, 2015

Eurotunnel said on Sunday it had resumed "normal service" and British police said they had lifted traffic management measures around the Channel Tunnel after migrants in France disrupted travel on Saturday.

But ferry operator DFDS Seaways said it had suspended its Dover-Calais service "until further notice" because it had no access to the port of Calais. DFDS said the problem was caused by striking ferry workers. It urged passengers to use its Dover-Dunkirk service instead, saying it was laying on an extra boat.

Wider disruption, caused by migrants, ended, however. On Saturday - one of the busiest of the year for British holidaymakers - trains passing through the Channel Tunnel were delayed after migrants trying to stow away on lorries approached the tracks.

Such disruption has become common since some 5,000 migrants, mostly from Africa and the Middle East, set up camp around the northern French port, which they use as a staging post to try to board train and ferry services to Britain.

John Keefe, a spokesman for Eurotunnel, said crossings were back to normal on Sunday because of reduced migrant activity. All customers who had wanted to travel had been able to do so with very few delays, Keefe said.

But he warned that further disruption was possible in coming days because of the sheer number of migrants gathered in Calais, who timed their attempts to get into Britain with the flow of trucks and freight.

"We need more support from the authorities, particularly in France, to stop the flow of migrants and remove those already in the area," he said.

British police, who had enforced far-reaching traffic management measures involving the closure of parts of the M20 motorway, said they had ended what they had called "Operation Stack" and that the road was open again.

The Eurostar passenger train service was also functioning as normal. – Reuters




Tags: France | migrants | Eurotunnel | tunnel |

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