Trade groups have warned of disruption to food supplies following France s ban on travel from the UK.
France suspended all travel links with the UK, including freight, for 48 hours from midnight on Sunday 20 December.
The ban, enforced as a result of concerns over the new COVID-19 variant, means freight lorries cannot cross by sea or through the Eurotunnel, and the Port of Dover has closed to outbound traffic.
Freight coming to Britain from France is allowed, but there are concerns that lorry drivers will not travel to avoid being stuck in the UK.
Unaccompanied freight, such as containers or lorry trailers on their own, are permitted to be transported, but outbound vans, lorries and trucks are banned.
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Salad leaves and citrus fruits could be missing from supermarket shelves as a result of restrictions on UK-France trade, Sainsbury’s has warned.
The supermarket giant said France’s ban on freight hauliers from the UK could affect food supplies but assured customers that crucial Christmas dinner supplies are available and already in the country.
Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said the ban on accompanied freight is “slightly surprising”.
Thousands of lorries that were meant to travel across the English Channel on Monday have been told to stay away from Kent ports.
HGVs turning up at Dover on Monday morning were greeted with signs saying “French borders closed”, and were being turned away.
UK holds crisis talks as France closes border, countries ban arrivals amid fears of new coronavirus strain
Trucks waiting to get in and out of Britain backed up for kilometres and people were stranded at airports as many countries imposed stringent travel restrictions over concerns about a new strain of the coronavirus that is spreading in southeast England.
Countries across the world have halted air travel to the UK while France has banned trucks from entering for a period of 48 hours while the new variant is assessed. There were rising hopes Monday, however, that France would allow traffic to flow again, with truck drivers having to take rapid coronavirus tests on arrival.