Gloucestershire HGV driver could be stuck in France for Christmas following border closure
Gloucestershire lorry driver Geoff Moxham could miss his first Christmas at home in 45 years after France closed its borders with Britain.
The Cheltenham grandfather did not realise he was on the last ferry out of Dover until he started talking to a French member of staff who asked him how he was planning to get home.
Now the dad of four faces being stuck at the side of the road with thousands of other drivers or driving down the motorway home.
"I was 66 yesterday (Sunday 20 December) and spent my birthday on the road and I'm not planning to do the same at Christmas," he said.
I haven't missed a Christmas at home for 45 years so I will be there even if I have to get a boat."
He was delivering heavy machinery to Germany and drove on to the ferry to Calais at around 6pm on Sunday, 20 December.
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"I was on the last ferry leaving the UK but i didn't know until one of the French crew members I know wished me luck getting home," he explained.
When I asked what he meant he said they were all finishing work and there would be no more transport back to the UK. I was completely taken aback.
I couldn't believe it. There weren't any announcements and nobody had said anything until then."
After reading about the new lockdown Geoff said he was surprised nobody stopped him at the borders as he drove through the night to reach Germany via Belgium and Holland.
On Monday morning lorry drivers were warned to stay away from Kent ports and Dover had signs saying 'French borders closed'.
During the afternoon the Port of Dover said inbound lorries have started coming into the UK but British drivers heading to the continent will have to prove they have had a negative Covid-19 test.
As well as lorry drivers who face spending the festive season in a foreign layby, he says the roads are busy with families heading home for Christmas.
"Everything is unusually busy at the minute," he said. "People are trying to get loads of stuff back to the UK before Brexit and exporters are doing the same."
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