France quarantine: Simon Calder clears up confusion over cut-off time

14 August 2020, 18:03

Simon Calder tells Eddie Mair when the cut off point is for quarantine from France and the Netherlands

Travel expert Simon Calder has cleared up the confusion over quarantine cut-off times, after the Netherlands and France were removed from the UK's travel corridor list.

Simon told LBC's Eddie Mair that it seems apparent "nobody in government has thought" about the measures for ferry passengers arriving on the cusp of cut-off.

"How do you define a 4am arrival in the UK? I have now just got an answer," he said.

"The Department for Transport says, and it's far more pertinent to ferries than anything else, because there are no flights scheduled to come in.

"The crucial measure is when your ferry is docked in a UK port. It's not entering territorial waters, but its not also whjen you've managed to get your car and your actually putting a foot or driving a tyre onto UK soil.

"It doesn't have to be the scheduled arrival time."

He told Eddie that Stena Line are actually fast-tracking their journey from the Netherlands, to ensure their passengers arrive into the UK before the 4am cut off point and avoid quarantine.

Hundreds of Brits are expected to make the scramble back to the UK to avoid the 14-day quarantine.

But travel bosses have warned "haven't got the space to take everyone" back.

Car-carrying Channel Tunnel trains are fully booked until Saturday.Eurotunnel Le Shuttle said in a statement: "Due to the recent Government announcement, our shuttles are now fully booked until tomorrow morning.

"There is no more ticket availability and we are not selling tickets at check-in."Please do not arrive at the terminal unless you have a ticket valid for travel today."

This morning over 1,000 people had joined an online queue of those trying to hastily rearrange their travel plans.

Bosses warned holidaymakers who don't have bookings not to travel to the terminal in Calais as they will not be able to board trains.

Listen to the exchange with Eddie in the video above.