00:00 Yes, a wildcat strike on the French side, not on the British side.
00:04 But of course, here I am reporting in London, because of course, it means that both sides,
00:08 whether it's the United Kingdom or indeed France, are affected by this serious disruption
00:14 to cross-channel rail travel, and that is since lunchtime.
00:19 So all Eurostar and all shuttle services, in other words, passenger trains, but also
00:24 that shuttle service that takes trucks and also cars, stopped at lunchtime suddenly.
00:31 There was a possible, we thought, restart this evening, but we're not hearing any news
00:38 on that at all.
00:40 So what all these, whether they are businessmen and women or people trying to go and see their
00:47 families or their friends, very much have to still look at the websites and also, of
00:54 course, on social media.
00:56 So this is really going to scupper a lot of plans, because of course, people have ongoing
01:00 journeys, whether it's on the French side across France or further to Amsterdam, or
01:05 whether it's here in the United Kingdom.
01:07 It's not helped by the fact that there are very strong gusts of wind in the north of
01:11 the UK, particularly in Scotland, 130 kilometers an hour.
01:16 So a massive disruption as far as those train links are as well.
01:21 But what we've seen is the French Minister of Transport, Clément Bourne, who clearly
01:25 is not impressed and trying to push for a resolution, really a resumption of the traffic
01:31 to translate him.
01:32 He said that this blockage of the Channel Tunnel is unacceptable, that a solution should
01:38 be found very quickly, that he was committed to that, and that he asked everybody to behave
01:43 in, so he's calling the parties, the strikers, to be responsible and to ensure the resumption
01:49 of traffic and therefore departures of people trying to get away on holiday in good conditions.
01:57 And he hashtags the company Getlink.
01:59 Well, Getlink, I don't know if you can hear us, but perhaps you'd be kind enough to inform
02:03 people both in France, in the United Kingdom, and further afield, what is going to happen
02:09 and when that traffic in the Channel Tunnel, much needed, much wanted, much desired, is
02:15 going to start again.
02:16 Yeah, and just to remind our viewers, Bénédicte, Christmas is a big deal in the UK.
02:23 Traffic will grind to a halt on the 25th, on Boxing Day for the most part, and it's
02:31 already the 21st.
02:34 Indeed.
02:35 Just for those viewers across the world who don't know what Boxing Day is, it's the 26th
02:40 of December.
02:41 So you're quite right, François.
02:43 Christmas is taken extremely seriously here in the United Kingdom.
02:47 There are all kinds of festive carol concerts, fantastic decorations across, of course, the
02:52 British capital and across the nation.
02:55 And of course, people want to try and get together.
02:57 We haven't forgotten, all of us, wherever we are in the world, the big restrictions,
03:02 travel restrictions because of the pandemic, during and post pandemic.
03:07 And what is more natural than after working hard throughout the year?
03:12 Well, even if you don't work hard in a job, but you have a job at home looking after your
03:17 family, then we all deserve a holiday.
03:21 So please, let's get those trains circulating again.
03:25 And I think people are not impressed by strikers going on strike at this particular juncture
03:31 when they're being offered a thousand euros, but saying that they absolutely will not go
03:35 back unless that is tripled.
03:37 All right.
03:38 I do have one piece of good news for you, Bénédicte Pévieux.
03:40 You were mentioning the high winds from Storm Pia, that a high winds warning has now been
03:47 apparently lifted.
03:48 So hopefully that's going to, that's already one piece.
03:51 Small mercy.
03:52 Small mercy.
03:53 Let's get the rest done.
03:54 Let's get those trains back on track.
03:55 Many thanks.
03:56 And happy Christmas to everyone when it comes.
