Police chief: coronavirus disruption in Kent 'unprecedented and unforeseeable'

Credit: PA Images

More than 25,000 covid tests have been carried out on lorry drivers waiting to cross the channel, the Kent Resilience Forum (KRF) has said.

Thousands of lorries were stuck in the county as France shut the border, amid concerns about the spread the new variant of coronavirus identified in the south east.

The KRF, which brings together Kent Police, Kent County Council and other partner agencies, said the disruption was "unprecedented and unforeseeable", but it praised the armed forces and the local community for their support.

The problems began on 20 December when, in response the the UK government toughening restrictions because of a new, more virulent variant of Covid-19, the French authorities implemented an immediate travel ban.

This led to long tailbacks at Dover and Folkestone, forcing the activation of Operation Stack and Operation Brock, as well as the use of Manston Airport as a holding point for HGVs.

The border first shut at 0001hrs on Monday 21 December Credit: PA Images

Such was the demand on policing in the county that Kent Police called in support from officers as far away as Hampshire, Leicestershire and West Mercia, with many working extra shifts to cover the crisis.

Assistant Chief Constable Claire Nix, who now leads the KRF team preparing for the end of the Brexit transition period, said it was an "unprecedented and unforeseeable level of disruption."

She added that it "affected not just Kent but most of the country, such is the importance of the Short Straits route in terms of goods that enter and leave the UK."

Armed Forces personnel, including local reservists, where joined by French firefighters and a Polish army unit to carry out tests. Credit: PA Images

More than 1,000 armed forces personnel were deployed to the area to provided rapid covid tests - a negative result would allow drivers to board ferries and travel onto Europe.

But there was also a huge community response, with local residents and charities from across the country offering food and supplies to the drivers who were stuck.

Councillor Roger Gough, leader of Kent County Council, said he was "amazed and moved by the kindness and humanity shown by people who have rallied to help in whatever way they can.

"We recognise the pain for many drivers caught up in this and separated from their families at Christmas - yet the Christmas spirit was very much alive in Kent."