Calais ‘Jungle’ blockade: Travel chaos as protesters form road blockade in France

‘We might keep moving slowly,’ says British traveller

British travellers have been caught up in major delays in Calais as lorry drivers, farmers and trade unionists staged a protest calling for the northern section of the “Jungle” camp to be demolished.

Up to 80 lorries and 100 tractors have slowed traffic on the A16 at Dunkirk up to the north of Calais approaching the entrance to the Channel Tunnel as part of a planned slowdown, dubbed “Operation Snail”.

The protest has caused severe disruption for people trying to make the journey between Calais and Dover, with Eurotunnel and P&O Ferries advising travellers to take alternative routes.

Mark Bushell, from Kent, was forced to take a diversion through the town of Calais after getting caught up in the traffic while driving to the ferry port. He wrote on Facebook: “Ferry on time and they are going to divert all traffic through Calais town. So we might keep moving slowly.”

Lorry drivers have said they were “in it for the long haul” in their protest about the migrant crisis around the French port town and will stand their ground until they see action taken to dismantle the Jungle.

Jean-Pierre Devine, from the National Federation of Truck Transport (FNTR), the organisation leading the protest, told the BBC's Today programme: “We are determined to show people we are not happy with the situation. We will stay as long as we need.”

Richard Burnett, chief executive of the Road Haulage Association (RHA), warned the protest will have repercussions on both sides of the channel.

Mr Burnett said: “It seems certain that traffic crossing from the UK will find it almost impossible to leave the port as access to the A16 is denied.

“The inevitable repercussions of this will surely mean that the authorities on this side of the Channel will have no alternative but to deploy Operation Stack. This will bring yet further misery to hauliers bound for mainland Europe and of course for the people and businesses of Kent.

“The chances are if this blockade actually backs the port up then it's going to strangle the port and we're going to see implications back on British soil as well as French.”

Operation Stack saw the M20 turn into a giant lorry park for almost a week last July due to disruption of cross-channel traffic caused by protests in France.

A human chain has also formed across the road leading to the ferry port, near Stade de l'Epopee football stadium in Calais, where hundreds of protesters can be seen marching and brandishing banners with messages urging the French and British governments to act.

Along with lorry drivers, 200 French farmers are said to have joined the protest, angry at migrant action that has resulted in destroyed crops and extensive damage to farms in the area.

Bernard Cazeneuve, France's minister of the interior, has vowed to dismantle the Jungle "as quickly as possible" after talks with protest organisers earlier this week.

Lorry drivers have been at growing risk in recent months as people traffickers have been seen attacking vehicles to stow immigrants in their trucks while caught up in traffic jams.

Despite efforts to reduce numbers in the Jungle by dismantling its southern section earlier this year, up to 9,000 migrants from countries including Sudan, Syria and Eritrea are still living there.