David Cameron draws up plan to help tackle Calais migrant crisis

David Cameron has warned the Calais migrant crisis could continue right across the summer as the prime minister promised to provide extra sniffer dogs and fencing for the French side of the border. The measures come after tourists and lorry drivers were hit with major disruptions as hundreds of people attempted to access the UK through the Eurotunnel terminal.

Cameron, speaking after he chaired a meeting of the emergency Cobra committee, said: I will have a team of senior ministers who will be working to deal with it, and we rule nothing out in taking action to deal with this very serious problem.

The prime minister added: We have got people trying to illegally enter our country and here in Britain we have got lorry drivers and holidaymakers facing potential delays. We are going to take action right across the board starting with helping the French on their side of the border. We are going to put in more fencing.

The decision comes after the British government promised to provide £7m ($10.9m) of funding to bulk-up security around the French port in a bid to stop migrants from getting to the UK. Thousands of lorries have been forced to queue on the M20 motorway in Kent after the attempted to travel to Europe via the Port of Dover.

Kent Police said Operation Stack remains in place between junctions eight and 11 coast-bound and is expected to continue into the weekend. Non-freight traffic will be able to re-join the M20 at J11.

Kent Police is reminding lorry drivers heading to the Port of Dover that they will get a ticket when they join stack at junction eight to continue their journey to the continent. Those who use the diversions for non-freight traffic in an attempt to get closer to the front, and who do not have a ticket, will be sent to the back of the Op Stack queue, the police said.

Operation Stack is likely to have a knock-on effect and lead to increased congestion on the A20 as well as other local roads. Motorists are therefore asked to consider if their journeys are absolutely necessary, and if so whether alternative routes can be taken.