Guest 698- Registered: 28 May 2010
- Posts: 8,664
M. Hollande needs to grow a pair and send in the army to break the strike. Cameron should grow a bigger pair and tell Hollande that if he sits on his backside any longer, there's a brigade of Gurkhas on the way across.
I'm an optimist. But I'm an optimist who takes my raincoat - Harold Wilson
Brian Dixon- Location: Dover
- Registered: 23 Sep 2008
- Posts: 23,940
Jan Higgins- Location: Dover
- Registered: 5 Jul 2010
- Posts: 13,658
Peter.
The French leaders could not care less, they will only do something when it directly affects them, they always let varying groups strike and disrupt Calais.
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I try to be neutral and polite but it is hard and getting even more difficult at times.
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Guest 698- Registered: 28 May 2010
- Posts: 8,664
The Pride of Canterbury docked at Calais 8 a few minutes ago. Does this mean the strike is over?
I'm an optimist. But I'm an optimist who takes my raincoat - Harold Wilson
Guest 977- Registered: 27 Jun 2013
- Posts: 1,031
Overnight berth as Dover is full?
Guest 1395- Registered: 5 Nov 2014
- Posts: 463
Services to Calais have resumed. I was surprised to see that P&O's two biggies were able to use Boulogne earlier. Clearly there is a berth there that can take them.
Lew Finnis
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
With sailings only every two hours it will take ages to clear the backlog.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-kent-33359337Guest 687- Registered: 2 Jun 2009
- Posts: 513
Amazing, I'm off to Poland with the band Years and Years but to ensure I arrive on time I've got to take a ferry from Portsmouth to Caen.
Some of our drivers were in a queue for the docks for 24 hours so I e mailed the leader of the Council to see if we could perhaps get preference as a local company, no reply. This is the same response I got from the MP when I asked if he was going to pursue his pre-election enthusiasm for preventing illegals entering the UK,
Paul Watkins- Location: Dover
- Registered: 9 Nov 2011
- Posts: 2,225
Ken, I'm somewhat confused by which Council Leader you refer. If me, I have had no email. I would have responded to you.
Paul
Guest 698- Registered: 28 May 2010
- Posts: 8,664
According to the Voix du Nord, DFDS have now declared their job offers to 202 of the 600 SCOP staff null and void.
I'm an optimist. But I'm an optimist who takes my raincoat - Harold Wilson
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
Can't blame now that they have seen their prospective staff in action, I'm wondering whether there is a clause that gets them out of the charter contract in the event of excessive industrial unrest.
On another theme little is made of the plight of truckers trying to get back to the UK, some have been stuck for three days with nobody bringing them food and water.
Guest 687- Registered: 2 Jun 2009
- Posts: 513
Paul I sent you an email a couple of days ago from Special Carriers. I was really surprised I received no answer as you are remarkably prompt normally. As you didn't receive it I will send from my home computer.
Another thought to ponder is as follows, Calais designated itself a transport hub and then sat back as several large freight companies moved into the area. We in Dover District already have numerous transport companies, if we could give priority access to the docks in times of delays, I am sure we would attract many more.Just a thought.
Guest 698- Registered: 28 May 2010
- Posts: 8,664
Didn't Norbert Dentressangle look at putting a main depot at Whitfield a few years ago?
I'm an optimist. But I'm an optimist who takes my raincoat - Harold Wilson
Paul Watkins- Location: Dover
- Registered: 9 Nov 2011
- Posts: 2,225
Sorry Ken ,it was screened out as spam.
Thanks for the info.
I will look into the matter of transport hub status , perhaps we could meet up & discuss the concept with presumably identified sites.
You are probably aware we resisted another lorry park proposal by KCC at the White Cliffs Business Park phase 2
In response to your query about local firms, I was under the impression local firms were not made to join back of Stack queue. this was certainly discussed & I thought acted upon after the previous incidence of Stack.
I'll check with Nigel over the next couple of days. He is actively involved in the Dover TAP [Aycliffe] arrangements.
Guest 698- Registered: 28 May 2010
- Posts: 8,664
Striking MFL staff are occupying the Berlioz and Rodin in Calais port in defiance of a court order. The union and SCOP representatives have met with the French transport minister, and there will be a union general meeting at 5pm our time, followed by a press conference at 5.30 at which it will be announced whether the blockade will be lifted or reimposed. This is a brief digest from French media.
I'm an optimist. But I'm an optimist who takes my raincoat - Harold Wilson
Guest 687- Registered: 2 Jun 2009
- Posts: 513
Paul l look forward to meeting. At no point would I want a lorry park as this would not generate anything but sorrow, however using the expertise of local hauliers to create a transport hub would be of huge economic benefit to the district.
Will contact you next week when I return from Poland.
Paul Watkins- Location: Dover
- Registered: 9 Nov 2011
- Posts: 2,225
Ken, Nigel has returned & tells me local haulage firms should be given priority when Dover TAP [Aycliffe] solution is in place. They do not have to join Stack queue. That is as I understood it.
Paul Watkins- Location: Dover
- Registered: 9 Nov 2011
- Posts: 2,225
Peter, Nobby D was not one I know of. Perhaps before political change took place in 2003.
Karlos- Location: Dover
- Registered: 1 Oct 2012
- Posts: 2,387
The only way local company's lorries bound for Calais don't join the queue is by blagging their way through.
Guest 698- Registered: 28 May 2010
- Posts: 8,664
The Syndicat Maritime Nord and the SCOP have met the minister and have presented the SCOP business plan. They have agreed to hold off the blockade until Tuesday at least pending a conference of all interested parties. But it looks as if both sides are becoming entrenched. The MFL ships are still being occupied by strikers and DFDS spokesmen have started mentioning the possibility of removing them by force.
I'm an optimist. But I'm an optimist who takes my raincoat - Harold Wilson