I don't have the full details but apparently there's been a fire in Eurotunnel about 7 miles from Calais and the tunnel is closed at the moment.
Fire in Eurotunnel
- Thread starter Parksy
- Start date
just been watching news... its closed till tomorrow at earliest...quite a few caravans caught up in it looking at pictures on news....it must be awfull...i cant begin to imagine what we would have done...as we would be travelling with dogs and wouldnot use the ferry...hopefully everyone will continue their journey safely...ED
Well it's still on fire - so i'd guess it's going to be fairly badly damaged. Also this means operation stack - so try to avoid the M20 (I live about 18 miles from the tunnel and drive past it on the way to work) and operation stack isn't any fun.
Well it's still on fire - so i'd guess it's going to be fairly badly damaged. Also this means operation stack - so try to avoid the M20 (I live about 18 miles from the tunnel and drive past it on the way to work) and operation stack isn't any fun.
We're booked on P&O to Calais Saturday afternoon. Looks like we will be making a very early start. Normally we would use the M20 so hopefully by going M26, A249, M2, A2 there will not be too much congestion and delays.
Hi,
Heard on Radio Kent that P&O are going to have 2 more sailings per day - they were saying that you should look to rebook with them and not just turn up - priority will be given to their customers.
On a side note they were clearing the road works around the tunnel - where they have been installing a movable barrier so they can park lorries and keep the motorway open - so i guess they plan to use it - as it's just about finished - hopefully it will help.
Heard on Radio Kent that P&O are going to have 2 more sailings per day - they were saying that you should look to rebook with them and not just turn up - priority will be given to their customers.
On a side note they were clearing the road works around the tunnel - where they have been installing a movable barrier so they can park lorries and keep the motorway open - so i guess they plan to use it - as it's just about finished - hopefully it will help.
Hi Mike,
So are you saying that the diversion route may not be too bad, delay-wise? Presumably one is turfed-off the M20 at J8 onto 'A' roads until J13? Does the route take you through the middle of Ashford? Or would I be better off going up to the M2/A2 via the A249?
Lots of questions! I'd appreciate any advice you might have, given your knowledge of Operation Stack.
So are you saying that the diversion route may not be too bad, delay-wise? Presumably one is turfed-off the M20 at J8 onto 'A' roads until J13? Does the route take you through the middle of Ashford? Or would I be better off going up to the M2/A2 via the A249?
Lots of questions! I'd appreciate any advice you might have, given your knowledge of Operation Stack.
Hi Everyone
I have been down to East Kent today and reckon the M2/A2 must be the best bet.There are a couple of 50mph roadworks on the M2 but both lanes are open and they are only short sites, and the A2 from Faversham down to Dover was busy but moving ok. It was very busy at Dover itself with police turning round lorries to join the stack queue on the M20.
Just a thought has anyone realised that this incident happened on 9/11? Also was this chemical actually allowed in the tunnel in the first place? Anyway just glad there apparently were no serious injuries.
I have been down to East Kent today and reckon the M2/A2 must be the best bet.There are a couple of 50mph roadworks on the M2 but both lanes are open and they are only short sites, and the A2 from Faversham down to Dover was busy but moving ok. It was very busy at Dover itself with police turning round lorries to join the stack queue on the M20.
Just a thought has anyone realised that this incident happened on 9/11? Also was this chemical actually allowed in the tunnel in the first place? Anyway just glad there apparently were no serious injuries.
it's going to be a bit more difficult to judge with the new movable barrier going in.
But....
There are two parts to operation stack - part 1 is off at junction 11 back on at junction 12 (This is the bit that the new barrier will change - they are intending to take traffic onto the london carrage way - with 1 lane both ways).
Part 2 (currently on) - is off at the Leeds (as in castle) Junction 8 then back on at the First Ashford Junction (9).
There are two issues...
1) Getting off the motorway - if you do have to come off (Ie Stack 2 or stack 1 with no new barrier) then if you arrive anytime during the normal day it can be hell.. (Early or Late is fine) - But i've known people get stuck for hours..... Basically it's a free for all - Lorries queuing with cars and it's not policed until the last 1/2 mile or so - IF YOU DO get stuck then don't assume that lorries in lanes 1 or 2 are moving - they may well be static. So you may have to use lane 3 (Dodgy with a caravan - but if the first 2 are static it could be the lorry driver has maxed out his hours and has stopped).
2) The A Roads are single lane.. - so you come off and the stack 2 diversion is single lane for about 20 miles.. (And a bit nasty if the weather is crap) - the 2nd diversion is shorter maybe 10 miles if being used - but it's also single lane - it's taken me 50mins during one strike.
So on balance i'd say M2/A2 - but of course that does get busier as well. So expect delays.
But....
There are two parts to operation stack - part 1 is off at junction 11 back on at junction 12 (This is the bit that the new barrier will change - they are intending to take traffic onto the london carrage way - with 1 lane both ways).
Part 2 (currently on) - is off at the Leeds (as in castle) Junction 8 then back on at the First Ashford Junction (9).
There are two issues...
1) Getting off the motorway - if you do have to come off (Ie Stack 2 or stack 1 with no new barrier) then if you arrive anytime during the normal day it can be hell.. (Early or Late is fine) - But i've known people get stuck for hours..... Basically it's a free for all - Lorries queuing with cars and it's not policed until the last 1/2 mile or so - IF YOU DO get stuck then don't assume that lorries in lanes 1 or 2 are moving - they may well be static. So you may have to use lane 3 (Dodgy with a caravan - but if the first 2 are static it could be the lorry driver has maxed out his hours and has stopped).
2) The A Roads are single lane.. - so you come off and the stack 2 diversion is single lane for about 20 miles.. (And a bit nasty if the weather is crap) - the 2nd diversion is shorter maybe 10 miles if being used - but it's also single lane - it's taken me 50mins during one strike.
So on balance i'd say M2/A2 - but of course that does get busier as well. So expect delays.
One final thought...
My wife works in Rochester.. we live in Ashford - look on the map and notice the best route (M20 is very direct) - now if i tell you she drives home down the M2 and then cuts across to Ashford at Faversham - which is miles out of the way - when operation stack (Or operation make getting arround kent impossible) is on - then that probably tells you how bad it can be.
My wife works in Rochester.. we live in Ashford - look on the map and notice the best route (M20 is very direct) - now if i tell you she drives home down the M2 and then cuts across to Ashford at Faversham - which is miles out of the way - when operation stack (Or operation make getting arround kent impossible) is on - then that probably tells you how bad it can be.
I feel sorry for those that were in the tunnel, we stopped using it a long time ago.
I've never felt comfortable in it and had it on very very good authority that fire safety was compromised from the day it opened due to budgetry constraints.
I'll take my chance any day with swimming, life boats/belts etc. A tunnel under the sea with oxygen being eaten feeding flames is not somewhere for a first attempt at burrowing. Never was keen on tunnel staff either.
We let the ferry take the stain and they do better food and drinks ;-)
I've never felt comfortable in it and had it on very very good authority that fire safety was compromised from the day it opened due to budgetry constraints.
I'll take my chance any day with swimming, life boats/belts etc. A tunnel under the sea with oxygen being eaten feeding flames is not somewhere for a first attempt at burrowing. Never was keen on tunnel staff either.
We let the ferry take the stain and they do better food and drinks ;-)
Don't get me wrong i'm ambivalent about both - but you do remember the herald of free enterprise ?
A long time ago - but Ferries have had their fair share of fires and accidents since.
Hi,
Just returned on Sunday after a fantastic long-weekend break in Damme, near Brugge (Belgium).
We were booked on the 11:50 am Eurotunnel crossing back, and with the changed circumstances, we travelled on the 12:03 crossing - and whilst the trains ran slower with single tunnel operation - it only added an extra 30 minutes to the journey...
Robert
Just returned on Sunday after a fantastic long-weekend break in Damme, near Brugge (Belgium).
We were booked on the 11:50 am Eurotunnel crossing back, and with the changed circumstances, we travelled on the 12:03 crossing - and whilst the trains ran slower with single tunnel operation - it only added an extra 30 minutes to the journey...
Robert
I live within spitting distance of junc 8 and I think stack is going in again this afternoon. It's a real pain in the backside not helped by the fact that ALL hgv's are put in the queue even if they are going to Dover to catch a ferry. The result is ferries leave with spaces aboard as reported by Norfolk Line over the weekend. It needs a bit of organising but with the Kent traffic police pocketing all the overtime, that is never going to happen.
Quite agree with Chrisbee.
Also understand that another reason that some ferries are leaving with plenty of space is because they dont accept each others tickets! therefore if the police let say 500 lorries go from operation stack down to dover and most of them happen to have Seafrance tickets, they will all queue up for a seafrance ferry, thereby clogging up the port.
Perhaps the ferry companies ought to talk to each other more when there is an emergency on and just get on with getting the lorries across. After all, they are ALL going to do all right out of this unfortunate incident, arent they.
Also understand that another reason that some ferries are leaving with plenty of space is because they dont accept each others tickets! therefore if the police let say 500 lorries go from operation stack down to dover and most of them happen to have Seafrance tickets, they will all queue up for a seafrance ferry, thereby clogging up the port.
Perhaps the ferry companies ought to talk to each other more when there is an emergency on and just get on with getting the lorries across. After all, they are ALL going to do all right out of this unfortunate incident, arent they.
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