Dover: 25-hour delays block drivers from delivering fresh produce

Delays of up to 25 hours are blocking drivers from delivering fresh produce to Europe on time

UK hauliers have said perishable goods are losing quality as congestion around Dover has led to delays of up to 25 hours (PA)

UK hauliers have said perishable goods are losing quality as congestion around Dover has led to delays of up to 25 hours.

A combination of Easter holiday demand, bad weather and the suspension of P&O Ferries routes have led to drivers being forced to sit in long queues.

Now, companies who take fresh produce from the UK to Europe want to prioritise the delivery of food that have a short shelf life.

Graham Eardley, company director of Eardley International who take fresh meat into Europe, told the BBC: “If we load lamb in the UK on a Monday, we’d expect to deliver that product to Germany on a Tuesday.

“Now we are seeing delays of 20 to 25 hours to cross the Channel, and the quality and the sale value of that product falls by every hour it is delayed.”

Cars wait to check in at the Port of Dover in Kent (PA )

The delay is extended further by haulier regulations which say drivers must take an 11-hour break when they reach Calais as they cannot sufficiently rest while in a traffic jam.

It comes as people travelling to France via the Channel Tunnel were advised to bring food and drink to keep them going in lengthy queues at Dover.

According to the British Meat Processors Association, some members have had to wait for over 24 hours to cross, causing meat and other perishables to go bad.

Nick Allen, chief executive of the British Meat Processors Association, said the UK was losing business because of the delays as customers have been sourcing goods from other countries instead.

As well as the produce losing value, the companies who send hauliers over are seeing a loss of up to £800 per truck as they have to pay for the driver to sit in the traffic jam.

They also face surcharges of late delivery fees and reduced quality of the goods due to the delays.

P&O said it plans to resume operations on the Dover-Calais route next week pending regulatory approval (PA )

The Kent Resilience Forum said they are waiting for the government to advise them on who would be prioritised in the queue – if any at all.

Speaking to the BBC, Toby Howe, the tactical lead for the forum, said: “It is not as simple as saying we will just fast-track meat or anything perishable.”

In response, the Department for Transport said the traffic management measures were regularly reviewed and said P&O’s “unacceptable actions” of sacking nearly 800 seafarers without notice are responsible for the traffic jams, as reported by the BBC.

P&O said it plans to resume operations on the Dover-Calais route next week pending regulatory approval