Thousands of lorry drivers spending Christmas Day in their cabs at Channel border

Some 1,100 soldiers have been deployed to Kent to help carry out coronavirus testing after French authorities agreed trucks could entry to the country if their drivers were found negative for Covid-19.

More than 700 trucks have been cleared for departure since that decision on Wednesday.

But on Friday some 5,000 trucks remain parked up at Manston Airport, on a closed section of the M20, and in the town of Dover itself with the log jam now taking time to clear.

So miserable has the situation become for some drivers that the Salvation Army has been distributing food parcels.

It all comes after France closed its border on Sunday following the discovery of a fast-spreading Covid-19 variant in the south-east of England.

Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said: “We need to get the situation in Kent, caused by the French Government’s sudden imposition of Covid restrictions, resolved as soon as possible.

“I have today sent special instructions to the army to take control of testing and HGV management operations in the county. Our aim is to get foreign hauliers home with their families as quickly as we can.

“I know it’s been hard for many drivers cooped up in their cabs at this precious time of year, but I assure them that we are doing our utmost to get them home.”

In a tweet on Christmas Day morning, the MoD said: “We are deploying a further 800 personnel to Kent today [in addition to 300 already there] to support an increase in the testing capabilities to help clear the backlog of vehicles and ensure traffic can begin to move at a closer to normal pace through Dover.”

The Department for Transport said all but three of the 2,367 coronavirus tests issued to hauliers have been negative so far.

It added that catering vans would provide hot food and drinks to stranded hauliers at Manston, with Kent County Council and volunteer groups providing refreshments to those stuck on the M20 – although hauliers had earlier criticised the efforts after many drivers were given a single ceral bar.

A Port of Dover spokesman confirmed ferry services had run throughout Christmas Eve night and would continue on Christmas Day to help ease congestion.