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Summary
- PM Boris Johnson has requested French President Emmanuel Macron to lift the ban on freight and passengers from the UK
- The measures agreed between both the parties will be announced today, which will come into effect from 23 December
UK PM Boris Johnson has requested France to lift the travel ban on freight and passengers from the UK after it imposed restrictions on Monday, isolating Britain due to the rapid spread of the more infectious coronavirus strain that has flared in London and southern England.
As many as 40 countries have now imposed bans on British commercial airline flights, automobile journeys and cross-Channel trains and freight because of rising cases. The countries which have imposed travel bans, include France, Germany, Italy, Switzerland, Poland, Belgium, Austria, Bulgaria, the Netherlands, India and Canada.
France had imposed a 48-hour ban from 20 December on all travel lines -- cross-Channel rail, ferry services, flights and freight lorries between the two countries.
In order to implement the travel restrictions, the M20 motorway in Kent, England remained closed on 21 December. The closure of cross-Channel routes has impacted the supply chain of the businesses and led to a panic situation among the buyers, more so because of the festive season.
(Image source: ©Kalkine Group 2020)
To Know More, Do Read: Covid-19 new variant: France imposes travel ban on UK
PM Johnson has said that 20 per cent of food, medicines and other goods that pass through the British ports have been blocked, which is a serious concern. Around 950 truck drivers were left stranded on the M20 in Kent for a second night as talks to ease the freight curbs continued.
The British authorities are still negotiating with the French administration to reopen full trade and transport across the Channel. French Minister Clément Beaune said the measures agreed between Johnson and Macron will be announced today and will come into effect from tomorrow morning.
The UK situation
Sir Patrick Vallance, Chief Scientific Adviser of the UK, issued a grim warning saying that further restrictions might be needed at home because cases from the new mutant strain were appearing everywhere.
London, South East, and East of England have moved into the new Tier 4 lockdown regime from 20 December. Before that, most areas were under tier 3 restrictions implemented on 2 December in a bid to control the spread of the strain.
Scotland and Northern Ireland have also announced new lockdowns from Boxing Day. Wales will see easing of tough restrictions only on Christmas Day and would reimpose it just after the celebrations. Sir Patrick also warned that Christmas gatherings might result in a surge in infections.
Vallance, at the Downing Street news conference, said that data proves that the new virus spreads easily and is more transmissible, so the government needs to make sure that the right level of restrictions are in place.
