Lorry traffic between France, Ireland boosted thanks to Brexit

Cherbourg, France, Feb 5 (EFE).- Brexit and the long bureaucratic procedures involved for the transport of goods and freight has boosted the direct travel links for trucks between Ireland and France.

Nowhere is that trend more apparent than in the northwestern French city of Cherbourg, which saw traffic of trucks leaving or entering on board ferries to Ireland triple in January compared to the same month in 2020.

“Brexit is a great opportunity for Cherbourg, because it is the natural port of destination to Ireland,” says Dominique Louzeau, president of the Chamber of Commerce of Industry of West Normandy.

Speaking to Efe, from his office at the port, he points out that regional authorities had anticipated this trend and last year invested almost six million euros in its infrastructure, but the increase in traffic “has been much more significant than expected”.

Normally some 150,000 trucks use the so-called “land bridge” each year to cross from Ireland to the continent via the UK, and he believes Cherbourg could capture around 20-25 percent of that volume, in addition to its usual traffic, as hauliers seek to avoid customs and phytosanitary controls.

Meanwhile, truck traffic through the Eurotunnel under the English Channel fell by 37 percent in January to 82,484 units, Getlink, the company that owns the infrastructure, reported Friday. EFE

rcf/ks

Berlin, Feb 5 (EFE) .- Borussia Mönchengladbach is assessing the possibility of moving the first leg of the Champions League round of 16 against Manchester City to Denmark, in case the English team is denied entry into Germany because of current travel restrictions against the coronavirus pandemic.

Gladbach are looking at their options after Liverpool was denied entry into the country for their match against Leipzig on February 16.