Talks to reopen French border continue amid UK travel bans – follow live

Grant Shapps has for the second day running told lorry drivers to avoid Kent as hundreds of trucks remain stranded.

In a tweet the transport secretary said hauliers risked getting “stuck for longer” if they attempted to reach France from the south coast of England, where Channel crossings for drivers have been suspended.

People living in Sweden and Denmark are unable to hop over the bridge linking Malmo and Copenhagen after officials in Stockholm banned travel to its neighbour over Covid fears.  

The measure, which came into force at midnight on Monday, means everyone traveling from the UK or Denmark will be expelled if they try to enter Sweden. 

Some exceptions exist, including for the movement of goods as well as Swedes and people who live or work in Sweden.

Singapore Airlines has said customers with bookings for flights departing from the UK from tomorrow, 23 December, will be affected by new rules banning entry, with some exceptions.

Affected passengers will be notified of their travel options and may retain the value of their ticket as flight credits, rebook or seek a refund.

Ryanair is in talks with the Irish government about operating a “rescue flight” to help stranded people return from the UK.

Seats will cost €95 one way and anyone who is interested is being urged to contact the Irish Department of Foreign Affairs. 

Private jets are being sought in increasing numbers to meet demand from the super-rich to travel this Christmas as travel bans ground planes around the world.  

Mark Briffa, chief executive of private aviation business Air Partner, said there have been a “growing number of enquiries” from travellers in recent days.

He said bookings included private jets for individuals and families, as well as businesses wanting to charter larger aircraft to fly employees home for Christmas.

Mr Briffa added: “Businesses such as those in the pharmaceutical and oil and gas sectors have been in touch to fly groups of employees home in as little as 24 hours.

“Ultimately, this is a continuation of the trend we have seen throughout 2020 of many people turning to us to enable them to travel in a reliable and safe manner in these disrupted and uncertain times.”

“Lorry drivers are a really good, resilient, self sufficient bunch,” Doug Bannister, CEO of the Port of Dover, told Times Radio.

He said something should be done to get these “really heroic guys home for their Christmas break”.

Union Unite’s national officer for road transport, Adrian Jones, said: “Drivers are suffering a nightmare before Christmas because of cross-channel gridlock.”  

Here is more on the story: 

More than 1,500 trucks are stranded in Kent because of the border closure with France. 

At least 650 vehicles are lined up on the motorway into the Port of Dover, while another 873 had been redirected to the nearby disused Manston Airport, the Home Secretary Priti Patel said.

The speed and scale of travel bans implemented globally on Monday has left many people stranded.

One German family are stuck in South Africa after the new, fast-spreading strain of the coronavirus was found there, leading to flight suspensions. 

Marina Wessolowski is in Cape Town with her husband and two daughters. They are now uncertain when they will be able to return home.

“We found out this morning that we won’t be able to go home, so that is quite a shock to us,” she told Reuters.

“We haven’t heard from anybody specifically on what is the next step, so we are waiting.”

South Africa’s tourism department has said it is working with the foreign ministry and foreign embassies to facilitate contact between foreign citizens in South Africa and their governments.

Here is everywhere that has issued a travel ban on visitors from the UK so far.

The World Health Organisation has given its cautious approval to travel bans implemented by an expanding list of countries affecting the UK and a handful of other countries deemed to be high risk because of a mutant strain of highly transmissible Covid. 

But Hans Kluge, the WHO’s European chief, said essential supply routes should be maintained.

He wrote on Twitter: “Limiting travel to contain spread is prudent until we have better info. Supply chains for essential goods & essential travel should remain possible.

“Welcome GB action to share data & intensify investigations.

“Reaffirming our commitment to solidarity in the face of new Covid-19 challenges yet again.

“No one is safe until everyone is safe.”