P&O Ferries suspends all services from Dover to Calais this weekend

P&O Ferries has cancelled all passenger services from Dover to Calais this weekend, amid the sacking of nearly 800 members of staff.

The company has instead asked for people to book with another operator during what is a busy time at the Port of Dover.

A deal for P&O Ferries customers who had already booked travel, to be taken by DFDS instead came to an end on Thursday (7 April), due to a lack of capacity.

P&O Ferries says it will provide a full refund of passengers who had already booked a ticket, announcing it will pay back the difference in cost between that ticket and a new booking with another operator.

The operator said it plans to resume operations on the Dover-Calais route next week pending regulatory approval, however customers have not been able to book a sailing until 19 April.

A 23-mile stretch of the M20 remains closed coastbound between junction 8 and 11 as part of Operation Brock, used to manage freight traffic heading to the Port of Dover and Eurotunnel.

The disruption has reopened the debate over whether Operation Brock is a long-term solution to deal with travel delays.