Eugene Drennan President of the Irish Road Haulage Association (IRHA). Photograph by John Kelly
Drennan demands action for hauliers caught on UK landbridge
December 22, 2020
THE Ennis man at the head of the Irish Road Haulage Association (IRHA) has voiced concerns over the mental and physical health of up to 200 drivers from this country who were stranded this week in Britain. Chaos ensued around several ports in the south of England when France temporarily shut its borders over fears of a new and highly infections train of Covid-19 in parts of the UK.
Eugene Drennan President of the IRHA said that while it was difficult to estimate the number of drivers stranded, up to 200 could have been caught up in long queues around some of the busiest ports with mainland Europe.
Brittany Ferries asked if it can repatriate Irish lorry drivers Hauliers say French travel ban exposes lack of capacity on direct ferries to mainland EU
Tue, Dec 22, 2020, 01:00
Simon Carswell Public Affairs Editor Listen now 3:20
Police and port staff turn away vehicles from the Port of Dover in Kent. Photograph: Steve Parsons/ PA Wire
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Irish and French government officials have had contact with Brittany Ferries about running a ferry from France to repatriate Irish lorry drivers stranded in Europe by France’s Covid travel ban on Britain should the need arise.
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21st December 2020
The Ennis-based President of the Irish Road Haulage Association is warning that people who have bought Christmas gifts online may not receive their purchases this week.
Travel restrictions being imposed on those coming from the UK to mainland Europe are having a knock-on effect on freight transport, with around 250 Irish trucks estimated to be stuck trying to access the continent.
It comes as the Transport Minister earlier suggested the UK travel ban is likely to be extended beyond tomorrow night.
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Ferry firm Stena Line has brought forward a planned doubling of its direct Ireland to France freight service in response to huge demand from Irish hauliers hit by the closure of the French border to arrivals from Britain.
While freight services were exempt from Ireland s ban on Sunday on travel to Britain over fears of a new coronavirus strain, around 3,000 lorries take the shorter route to mainland Europe via the so-called British land-bridge each week.
Stena had planned to add a second ship to its service from Ireland s Rosslare harbour to the French port of Cherbourg from Jan. 4, doubling the number of weekly sailings to six as Britain s Brexit transition period came to an end.
Stena adds second ship to direct service from Ireland to France Shipping line brings forward Brexit plans to double capacity on Rosslare-Cherbourg route
Mon, Dec 21, 2020, 11:42 Updated: Mon, Dec 21, 2020, 11:43
Both Stena ships will sail on Tuesday to alleviate the pressure on Irish transport companies and add capacity to direct routes to mainland Europe.
Shipping operator Stena Line is adding a second ferry on its direct route between Ireland and France from Tuesday to allow hauliers avoid Britain and Covid-related travel restrictions.
The company said it would be bringing forward plans to double the capacity and frequency of its direct sailings by two weeks from an original planned January 4th start date to cope with demand for post-Brexit freight traffic.