Channel Tunnel chaos brings back issue of French-English border at Calais

The chaos at the Channel Tunnel and the ferries between England and France on Tuesday has re-ignited fresh calls for the UK border to be shifted back to its own shores as further strike action is threatened through the summer.

Prime Minister David Cameron is to hold talks with French President Francois Hollande on Thursday over the chaos created by the French strike action, reports Daily Mail.

"We are in close touch with the French authorities about the situation and will monitor the impact of the strike on British people," the Prime Minister's official spokesman said, according to the paper.

Cameron has ordered officials to provide regular updates on the situation in Calais and the impact on British travellers, the paper said.

Disruption in the transport saw migrants in Calais trying to cross over into the UK, taking advantage of the situation to climb into stalled vehicles, according to AFP.

The deputy mayor of Calais, Philippe Mignonet earlier reiterated calls from French politicians for the border to be moved from northern France to Britain to avoid similar chaos.

He told the BBC: "Calais is not the destination [for migrants]. As you've heard, [migrants] want to get into trucks, they want to get to England. England has got to realise that it is not our responsibility. The English border is in Calais and I'm requesting for the border to be transferred back in Dover and in Folkestone.

"We can't just accept any more, to be blamed for immigrants. Again, they want to go to England, they are not coming to Calais, they go through Calais to get to England."

The Daily Mail said that last year, the Border Force stopped 39,000 people from trying to enter Britain illegally, twice the figure reported in 2013.

An updated travel advice issued by the Foreign Office on 23 June had warned people to keep their vehicle doors locked in slow moving traffic and secure their vehicles when it is left unattended.

The French union that literally brought the Channel Tunnel and the ferries to a standstill yesterday has warned that there could be more wildcat strikes in the summer.

Eric Vercoutre, head of the Maritime Nord union, warned: "If you want to have a hot summer, come to Calais!"

Up to 600 French ferry workers went on the tracks to block trains between England and France following plans by Eurotunnel to sell a pair of cross channel ferries to a Danish rival which would lead to redundancies.

Eurotunnel had in May announced plans to stop its operational partnership with MyFerryLink and this month had decided to sell its ferries to rival Danish firm DFDS.

According to the Daily Mail, the union believes that 120 of his union members' jobs could be at risk following the proposed sale of the ferry.

"It's out of the question that DFDS takes our boats. Never, never. We've been betrayed," Vercoutre said.

Another union member said: "This is by no means the end of our industrial action – it will continue for as long as necessary, and we don't care who is disrupted. Calais has become our battleground."

The Daily Mail said up to 600 union members struck simultaneously to blockade both Calais and the main Eurotunnel terminal six miles away at Coquelles.

The striking union workers also blocked the Eurotunnel tracks with rubble and burning tyres.