Advice sought over French strikes

French protesters blockaded ports over EU fishing quotas earlier this year

Legal advice has been sought on the impact of strikes in France on the economy in Kent.

Paul Carter, leader of Kent County Council (KCC), said strike action across the Channel had caused massive congestion and cost millions of pounds.

Business secretary Peter Mandelson is in contact with the French government about the issue, according to KCC.

Lawyers have said the French government could be breaking EU rules governing free movement of people and goods.

Mr Carter said: "We need to continue to press for a long-term solution."

Formal complaint

He added that Operation Stack - where lorries waiting to cross the Channel park on the M20 - had been used twice this year because of disruption caused by striking ferry workers and fishermen protesting at EU quotas.

Mr Carter was speaking after 50 delegates took the council's transport campaign, which includes a call for a solution to Operation Stack, to the House of Lords on Tuesday.

Protests in France led to Operation Stack being implemented in Kent

KCC also teamed up with the Federation of Small Businesses to deliver a petition and a formal complaint to the European Commission about the effect of the strikes.

This week, Dover District Council said both sides of the Channel needed to be able to "gear-up to accommodate future growth", and announced it was backing plans for the expansion of the Port of Calais.

The local authority said the Calais Port 2015 project would help emerging proposals for expansion at the Port of Dover.

District council leader Paul Watkins said: "In the face of an ever-expanding international market, if one is to grow, the other needs to keep pace if balance is to be maintained."

Dover Council officers were in France to take part in talks about expansion in Calais last week.