French fishermen partially lift Calais blockade
Ferry Online Travel News 16/04/2009
Britons stranded on both sides of the English Channel saw some shipping movement on Wednesday night.
French fishermen moved their vessels from Calais at around 8:15pm on Wednesday night, but ferry operators were cautious in their optimism as they feared that the blockade would resume at dawn on Thursday – for the third consecutive day.
The fishermen have been protesting the strict fishing quotas in the European Union that were established by the Common Fisheries Policy.
Michelle Ulyatt, spokeswoman for P&O Ferries, commented: "This means we can focus our energy on getting freight and passengers stacked up on to our ships and across as soon as possible."
Police in Kent reported that their Operation Stack, aimed at easing M20 freight congestion, would continue.
Around 600 lorries were said to be waiting at the port in Calais, and approximately 1,200 passengers were stranded there, waiting for ferry service to resume.
Fishermen continued their blockades at the French ports of Dunkirk and Boulogne, disrupting freight and passenger services. LD Lines diverted its 12:30pm Dover service on Thursday to arrive in Dieppe rather than Boulogne, for a second day, and said that it would only run the single return service.
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