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| Ferries resume as blockade ends | Ferries resume as blockade ends |
| (about 5 hours later) | |
| Cross-channel ferry services have returned to normal after French fishermen ended their blockades of the ports of Calais, Dunkirk and Boulogne. | |
| Thousands of holidaymakers and hauliers faced disruptions over two days in a dispute over EU fishing quotas. | |
| The blockade was however lifted on Tuesday and Wednesday nights, enabling ferry companies to clear the backlog. | |
| The action ended on Thursday after fishermen reportedly agreed to consider a fresh offer from French authorities. | |
| SeaFrance and P&O Ferries were able to resume an almost full programme of sailings on the Dover to Calais run, while Norfolkline was able to operate between Dover and Dunkirk. | |
| Ferry company LD Lines had to cancel two Dover-to-Boulogne sailings but said its operation would start again at 0700 BST on Friday. | |
| Berthing trials | |
| The ports had been blockaded since Tuesday. | The ports had been blockaded since Tuesday. |
| French fisheries minister Michel Barnier has reportedly offered 4m euros in aid to fishermen in the north of France, but has rejected demands to increase fishing quotas. | |
| P&O said ferries started sailing immediately on Thursday, instead of waiting for scheduled sailings, and a backlog of cars and lorries at Dover was cleared by 0830 BST. | P&O said ferries started sailing immediately on Thursday, instead of waiting for scheduled sailings, and a backlog of cars and lorries at Dover was cleared by 0830 BST. |
| The Pride of Dover ferry was taking part in berthing trials to see if vessels could fit facilities at the Belgian port, it added. | The Pride of Dover ferry was taking part in berthing trials to see if vessels could fit facilities at the Belgian port, it added. |
| FROM BBC RADIO 5 LIVE More from BBC Radio 5 live | |
| A P&O spokesman said: "It's not an ideal option because it takes about 90 minutes from Dover to Calais as opposed to between three and a half and four hours to Ostend." | A P&O spokesman said: "It's not an ideal option because it takes about 90 minutes from Dover to Calais as opposed to between three and a half and four hours to Ostend." |
| He said the firm would not be able to maintain the same level of frequency, but it was "worth a try". | He said the firm would not be able to maintain the same level of frequency, but it was "worth a try". |
| After normal ferry services resumed for most operators on Thursday, passenger Rafla Reszelluska, a Polish builder from north London who had to wait at Calais, said: "I'm very relieved. It's been very frustrating and I have had enough." | After normal ferry services resumed for most operators on Thursday, passenger Rafla Reszelluska, a Polish builder from north London who had to wait at Calais, said: "I'm very relieved. It's been very frustrating and I have had enough." |
| And another passenger at Calais, Judith Blatch, 47, from Sudbury, Suffolk, said: "I'm very happy. We have some sympathy with the French fishermen because it's their livelihood, but it wasn't doing the reputation of France any good." | And another passenger at Calais, Judith Blatch, 47, from Sudbury, Suffolk, said: "I'm very happy. We have some sympathy with the French fishermen because it's their livelihood, but it wasn't doing the reputation of France any good." |
| 'Worst time' | 'Worst time' |
| One of the Calais protesters, Pascal Hamy, 49, said "There have been some concessions but they're not enough. | One of the Calais protesters, Pascal Hamy, 49, said "There have been some concessions but they're not enough. |
| "What we want to do is work. We're not guilty of causing the problem [for travellers]. | "What we want to do is work. We're not guilty of causing the problem [for travellers]. |
| "The people guilty of that are the French government and Brussels. It's not us." | "The people guilty of that are the French government and Brussels. It's not us." |
| The blockade was lifted overnight to allow the backlog of passengers to clear from Calais. | The blockade was lifted overnight to allow the backlog of passengers to clear from Calais. |
| Hundreds of lorry drivers had been queuing on the M20 in Operation Stack - put in place by Kent Police to reduce traffic congestion close to Dover. | |
| Jo Tanner, from the Freight Transport Association, said the blockade had come at the worst time. | Jo Tanner, from the Freight Transport Association, said the blockade had come at the worst time. |
| "It is costing £40 per hour per HGV and if you look at Operation Stack and the number of trucks it soon adds up," she said. | "It is costing £40 per hour per HGV and if you look at Operation Stack and the number of trucks it soon adds up," she said. |
| "Particularly when we have an industry that's already struggling thanks to the recession, thanks to successive fuel duty increases, this is absolutely the last thing that we need." | "Particularly when we have an industry that's already struggling thanks to the recession, thanks to successive fuel duty increases, this is absolutely the last thing that we need." |
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| Compensation bid after blockades | Compensation bid after blockades |
| Mark Darlow, 41, an exhibition contractor from Retford in Nottinghamshire, was due to sail with his father, Peter, from Dover to Calais on Wednesday. | Mark Darlow, 41, an exhibition contractor from Retford in Nottinghamshire, was due to sail with his father, Peter, from Dover to Calais on Wednesday. |
| "This is having a huge effect on businesses, not just in the UK but the whole of Europe, this is one of the busiest freight terminals worldwide," he said. | "This is having a huge effect on businesses, not just in the UK but the whole of Europe, this is one of the busiest freight terminals worldwide," he said. |
| One French union had reportedly tried to extend the blockade to Eurotunnel, but a spokesman for the tunnel operator said the French police would not allow that to happen. | One French union had reportedly tried to extend the blockade to Eurotunnel, but a spokesman for the tunnel operator said the French police would not allow that to happen. |
| Mark Mardell: Time to get tough? | Mark Mardell: Time to get tough? |
| French fishing unions have been protesting at ever tougher EU-imposed quotas, and demanding the French government take a stand on their behalf or offer more financial assistance. | French fishing unions have been protesting at ever tougher EU-imposed quotas, and demanding the French government take a stand on their behalf or offer more financial assistance. |
| On Wednesday, French ministers refused protesters' demands for increased cod quotas, but said they might offer extra financial support. | On Wednesday, French ministers refused protesters' demands for increased cod quotas, but said they might offer extra financial support. |
| P&O has already said it is preparing a compensation case against the fishermen, and has estimated the cost to its business at about £1m a day. | P&O has already said it is preparing a compensation case against the fishermen, and has estimated the cost to its business at about £1m a day. |
| Eurotunnel services and trains run by Eurostar have been unaffected by the industrial action. | |
| Extra passenger and freight trains have been running from Folkestone to Calais to deal with increased demand. | Extra passenger and freight trains have been running from Folkestone to Calais to deal with increased demand. |