truck border closed britain france
© AFPThousands of lorries are stuck in the UK after France closed the border yesterday
Mainland Europe-bound truck drivers are stuck in the United Kingdom amid borders shut down by France over the new coronavirus strain, including for cargo vehicles, unlike during the first wave in the spring, Polish Minister of Infrastucture Andrzej Adamczyk said on Tuesday.

"The situation today is very different. For trucks returning from the United Kingdom to the continent, the French border is closed, i.e. the European Union border is closed. These trucks are not only from Poland and the UK, but also from Romania and Hungary", Adamczyk told the Polish Television.


The minister did not specify how many trucks were stranded, but said that they were "a very large number," adding that the actual number was being clarified.

"Our representatives in the European Commission in Brussels are taking decisive measures. We especially try to pressure the French into opening the border and letting cross the drivers who are returning home", Adamczyk said.


​The discovery of a new, more infectious coronavirus strain the United Kingdom prompted many countries — more than 20 by now — to temporarily shut the borders with it. According to UK experts, the new strain can transmit up to 70 percent faster than the original coronavirus, albeit the data is lacking on whether or not it is more deadly.