Orry drivers arriving in England from outside the UK must pass a Covid-19 check within 48 hours of arrival, the shipping secretary announced.
Grant Shapps said that as of April 6, carriers, adding drivers and equipment from heavy vehicles and vans, will want to be evaluated within 48 hours of arrival and then every 3 days.
In announcing the news on Twitter, Shapps said more difficult measures “would ensure that we follow all the worrying variants of the coronavirus in the long run. “
He tweeted: “TRANSPORT NEWS: From 6 April, trucks moving to England from outside the UK (and the non-unusual area) for more than 2 days will have to pass #Covid check within 48 hours every 72 hours. This is to make sure we’re aware of any worrying #Coronavirus-term developments. »
The “tailor-made testing regime” will be the UNITED Kingdom from the spread of the virus and the arrival of new variants, the Department of Health and Social Affairs has said.
According to new government guidelines, testing will be conducted across multiple channels, adding office testing programs, home tests, network sites, online, or 119 orders.
Carriers will also have to pay a fine of 2000 euros if they have evidence of a negative Covid-19 test.
Those travelling from Ireland, the Channel Islands or the Isle of Man, known as the Common Travel Area (CTA), are not required to undergo a check unless they have been outdoors in those spaces within 10 days of their arrival in England.
Carriers arriving in England from mainland Europe must also comply with the passenger location bureaucracy to facilitate contact in the UK.
This occurs amid growing fears about the coronavirus variants of South Africa and Brazil in Europe as a third wave of Covid-19 spreads across the continent.
In response to government plans for carriers, Yvette Cooper, chairwoman of the Special Committee on Internal Affairs, said there were “significant gaps in the plan. “
He asked why the regulations would be enforced until April 6 and said, “It’s been almost two weeks since I raised the factor with the Prime Minister and he resisted.
He said it had also been about two months since considerations were first raised about the spread of the South African variant in France in mid-February, and more than 3 months since the arrival of evidence for carriers leaving the UK.
“The government is still learning in Covid’s classes about the importance of acting quickly. It delays threatened lives,” he added.
The Logistics UK industry agreement said that any testing regimen will have to be provided because drivers are “a very low threat category. “
Sarah Laouadi, EU policy chief at Logistics UK, said: “We urge the government to monitor the testing regime to remain adequate and respond to the stage on the ground. “
The Road Haulage Association welcomed the news, and CHIEF Richard Burnett described it as “a fair system. “
When France demanded control of carriers crossing the English Channel in December, thousands of trucks were stranded in Kent while supplies were placed.
Boris Johnson stated Wednesday that there would be “many interruptions” in any relief in inter-channel trade.
“This country relies heavily on food in our stores, the medicines we want to make this industry smooth,” he said.
“We will make the difficult decision to avoid this trade, to avoid these flows, if we believe it is mandatory to shield public aptitude and prevent it from the arrival of new variants. “