Have you heard of Operation Stack in the States? It’s quite something–we’ve got a good view of the traffic backed up on the motorway from our farm lane.
What is Operation Stack? It’s a series of emergency measures used when travel through the Channel Tunnel to France is disrupted because of an accident, fire, or job strike. The most recent issue was a fire on Saturday, which left thousands of people stranded over the weekend. This was followed by a power supply problem on Sunday, resulting in 11 trains to the Continent being cancelled. And one thing leads to another . . .
Right now I’m extremely grateful I don’t have to head anywhere near the coast as traffic is backed up for more than 20 miles in that direction, which authorities admit will lead to delays of 12 hours for anyone trying to make it through the tunnel. And, they also admit that road infrastructure is in pretty bad shape and they need to figure out a better plan to handle such emergencies. I don’t think anyone’s going to hold their breath.
Photos courtesy of Kent Messenger.
expatrimummy 