The delays are due to the lack of ships and the bad weather yesterday and during the night. Capacity at Dover Harbor was already under pressure following the suspension of P&O services. Image: Kent police posted this photo of trucks on the M20 and thanked the public for their patience It deteriorated when a DFDS ship ran aground in Dunkirk on Thursday afternoon due to strong winds and had to be shut down. The ship is currently being repaired and is expected to return to service on Monday or Tuesday next week, DFDS Ferries said in a statement. The company announced this morning that all its services were affected. Another ship on the route is currently under reconstruction and will only be available from Monday. DFDS Ferries said it expects its full fleet to be back in operation early next week. Many families will see their plans affected by the upheaval as they set off for France during the Easter school holidays. Part of the M20 is also used to park trucks, leading to congestion. As part of Operation Brock, the freeway is closed to anything other than freight traffic between junctions eight and nine. Use the Chrome browser for a more accessible video player 4:04 Investigations into P&O opened The traffic management system was implemented to manage trucks displaced due to a lack of P&O services amid an ongoing dispute over the company’s decision to lay off 800 British workers. DFDS Ferries advised customers to travel to Dover Harbor and check in as they normally would, saying they would then be shipped to the next available ship. Staff walk the car lanes at the port to inform and assist customers, the company said. Image: Ships in Dover Harbor pictured this morning The main roads approaching the port are currently very busy, Dover Port said, advising passengers to leave extra time for their journey and contact their operator for details. Residents of the area were urged to avoid traveling to the area where possible. The bus company Stagecoach said its local services were facing a major disruption due to downtown traffic. A Department of Transportation spokesman said: “We know there are queues at Dover and the Kent Resilience Forum and local partners are working to minimize any disruption by implementing interim traffic management measures as a standard. “This has been caused by a number of factors, including the severe weather in the English Channel.”
