Good news this week for international drivers, particularly those ones who were stuck in the channel crossing chaos over Christmas. The UK has announced 20 COVID testing centres being opened specifically for van and truck drivers, for rapid testing before they cross the border into France.
The first of these centres was opened this week in Peterborough, at a site at Peterborough services on the A1M. The army have been drafted in to support these centres, in a bid to avoid the delays and tailbacks we saw just a few weeks ago. The government is taking furthers steps too, giving hauliers the chance to set up their own test centre at their premises, with free of charge test kits.
This is part of a plan to give lorry and van drivers a Kent Access Permit to help ease the delay that were causing chaos throughout Kent, as divers queued in huge tailbacks as they awaited tests. Any light goods or van drivers can use any of these government centres to be tested before they get to Dover to enable them to move quickly through customs and border control and onto the continent.
Results are returned within the hour, and the new centres are also offering free advice on new border processes to help ensure van drivers have the correct paperwork, as we navigate this new Brexit era.