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Truck traffic jam on the A20 (archive): Rest areas permanently overloaded
Photo: JUSTIN TALLIS / AFP
Due to the large number of truck drivers in the southeastern English county of Kent on the English Channel, the union Unite complains of chaotic conditions on the roads. Rest areas and gas stations are chronically overcrowded, toilets are scarce. That leads to tension. There have already been reports of fights between drivers, said Unite expert Adrian Jones. In addition, drivers who continue to drive due to a lack of parking spaces are threatened with fines because they cannot take the prescribed breaks. In the meantime, the problems were already having an impact on the situation in other regions.
“Drivers face more parking chaos and misery for months in Kent,” Jones said. "There are simply not enough truck parking spaces and gas stations to meet the requirements and needs of the drivers." Many drivers would park on freeway entrances and hard shoulders. The situation in Kent has worsened, as deliveries to the EU have been much more tightly controlled since Brexit. This leads to traffic jams on the routes to the Dover ferry port and the Eurotunnel.
The UK's exit from the EU and the corona pandemic are already having a heavy burden on the transport industry.
According to estimates by the industry association for freight transport on the road, up to 100,000 truck drivers are missing.
Association heads called on the government to approve special visas, especially for Eastern European workers.
Otherwise there is a threat of a supply crisis in summer with empty supermarket shelves, especially for fresh produce such as fruit and vegetables, which Great Britain imports to a large extent from the EU.
Since Brexit, EU citizens who want to work in the UK need expensive work visas.
mik / dpa-AFX