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Original poster

Freight IS allowed in. No need for panic buying!

91 replies

tinselearedcow · 21/12/2020 07:47

Some posters seem determined to whip up panic. From the BBC website:

Freight industry lobby group Logistics UK appealed for calm from shoppers, and said it was "maintaining close contact with UK government to ensure that supplies of fresh produce are available throughout Christmas and the new year".

Although freight from France is still allowed to enter Britain, there are fears lorry drivers might not travel because they fear being stuck in the UK over Christmas.

Unaccompanied freight, such as containers or lorry trailers on their own, can still be transported.

OP posts:

EmmaWithTheGreatHair · 21/12/2020 07:51

@tinselearedcow thank you! This needs to be the thread everyone listens to.

MarshaBradyo · 21/12/2020 07:52

Op good thread

DailyPotion · 21/12/2020 07:53

Hmm, so if your husband was the lorry driver allowed in but not out, would he be coming this week?

rumerhasit · 21/12/2020 07:57

@dailypotion I imagine if a lorry driver is scheduled to work then they will. My dh works in shipping...they don't get Christmas off if their Rota says they are working. They don't get to book it off...

DailyPotion · 21/12/2020 07:58

But he'd still work if he faced the prospect of being stranded in a foreign county and not able to do his next job?

Original poster

tinselearedcow · 21/12/2020 07:59

@DailyPotion

Hmm, so if your husband was the lorry driver allowed in but not out, would he be coming this week?

Did you not read the part about unaccompanied freight?

OP posts:

notevenat20 · 21/12/2020 07:59

Hmm, so if your husband was the lorry driver allowed in but not out, would he be coming this week?

Cough... 2020?....”husband”??

DailyPotion · 21/12/2020 08:01

Did you not read the part about unaccompanied freight? How much freight is unaccompanied?

Cough... 2020?....”husband”??
Yep, that's the bit to take issue with

Original poster

tinselearedcow · 21/12/2020 08:04

I don't know Daily, but the point is, freight can still get in, essential medcines etc. are allowed in by come in by train, the UK is currently stuffed to ther rafters with food.

People do no need to panic buy.

OP posts:

Original poster

tinselearedcow · 21/12/2020 08:04

Sorry, that was garbled, typing too fast!

OP posts:

Grellbunt · 21/12/2020 08:07

@notevenat20

Hmm, so if your husband was the lorry driver allowed in but not out, would he be coming this week?

Cough... 2020?....”husband”??

Eh? Why are you coughing? Plenty of people’s husbands are lorry drivers.

DailyPotion · 21/12/2020 08:09

@tinselearedcow

I don't know Daily, but the point is, freight can still get in, essential medcines etc. are allowed in by come in by train, the UK is currently stuffed to ther rafters with food.

People do no need to panic buy.

Yes, I agree they're allowed in, but that doesn't mean it will come.

I would hope, however that the situation will be resolved within a few days and we do have sufficient stocks to cover that.

However, with all the Christmas food suddenly in the wrong houses/part of the country, I think the Supermarkets were going to have a challenging week this week already, this news won't help.

That said, hopefully, people have learned enough this year that most households have a sensible amount of provisions in.

Wagsandclaws · 21/12/2020 08:11

The government are holding an emergency cobra meeting today to ensure this doesn't become a problem.

The trouble is that borders are now closed to the U.K. and people will see this as an issue for getting food and medicines in and out of the U.K. I think that there might be some panic buying because people don't want to take the chance of being left without food however reassuring the government is.

I don't include myself in this btw, I detest panic buying and the knock on effect it has on vulnerable people. I think the way some of this is being reported could add to any issues the government have today.

January21 · 21/12/2020 08:11

Wives,partners....all can be lorry drivers! 🚛

Sirzy · 21/12/2020 08:14

But as the lorries are stuck here at the moment they can’t get over there to load back up and come back so there has to be a knock on in the coming weeks.

The logistics of having everyone in the right place at the right time is going to become even more of a nightmare now

EnPoinsettia · 21/12/2020 08:15

The government are holding an emergency cobra meeting today to ensure this doesn't become a problem.

And they’ve had such a good track record lately on not letting things become a problem.

So everything will be fine then.

Hmmph · 21/12/2020 08:15

I would assume that most of the basic Christmas food (Turkey, potatoes, sprouts, carrots, parsnips) are grown/raised in Britain or am I being naive?

Sirzy · 21/12/2020 08:17

@Hmmph

I would assume that most of the basic Christmas food (Turkey, potatoes, sprouts, carrots, parsnips) are grown/raised in Britain or am I being naive?

5 live interviewed a driver from Spain who is stuck over here having delivered broccoli and lettuce to Asda so unfortunately naive

Hmmph · 21/12/2020 08:18

I would also very very much hope that supermarkets have imposed an item limit as of this morning to avoid panic buying today.

meditrina · 21/12/2020 08:18

One reminder is that it is lorry freight through France which is affected.

Other ferry routes to different countries are still open.

And all unaccompanied freight (eg shipping containers) is unaffected.

Doesn't meant that this is not serious - so much comes in/out via the Channel to France, especially fresh stuff (as it's normally the shortest/quickest route)

MarshaBradyo · 21/12/2020 08:19

80% freight is unaccompanied

Wagsandclaws · 21/12/2020 08:20

@EnPoinsettia

The government are holding an emergency cobra meeting today to ensure this doesn't become a problem.

And they’ve had such a good track record lately on not letting things become a problem.

So everything will be fine then.

I'm with you on that, I don't honestly know what will happen. I hope item limits have been put in place too this morning.

Username642243 · 21/12/2020 08:21

We're about 40% short of supplying our own food

Mistigri · 21/12/2020 08:21

It is definitely true that some freight can still get in, but the OP massively underestimates the potential disruption to supply chains.

Most truck drivers delivering in the U.K. aren't British. Hard to imagine that they or their employers will want them and their vehicles stuck in the U.K. with a no deal Brexit on the horizon.

Unaccompanied freight can come in - sure. But existing port capacity isn't configured for that.

This also affects British businesses exporting - last night on twitter there were some honestly quite distressing posts from Scottish seafood businesses with hundreds of thousands of pounds worth of shellfish already on lorries and heading for France at what is their most lucrative time of year. If you care about the British fishing industry then this should really bother you.

justanotherneighinparadise · 21/12/2020 08:22

Some posters are so determined that others should be collapsed in a corner hyperventilating. Just calm the fuck down.

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