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Brexit lorry drivers in possible 7,000 HGV queues face poor Netflix streaming at Ashford's lorry park and across Kent

14:22, 10 December 2020

updated: 15:44, 10 December 2020

It's safe to say few of us would want to be a lorry driver at the moment.

Faced with the prospect of filling out extra paper work only to join 6,999 colleagues in monstrous queues snaking through Kent and for longer they've been hit by another crippling body blow - Netflix streaming quality.

Lorries queue at Dover as delays grow Picture: Barry Goodwin
Lorries queue at Dover as delays grow Picture: Barry Goodwin

With expected jams comes more overnight stops.

The government has tackled this obstacle by setting up lorry parks across the county.

But at the biggest, Ashford's 66-acre Sevington site, none of the big phone companies offer decent signal, according to connectivity consultancy FarrPoint.

So bored truckers hoping to get their box set fix or wanting to phone home will face frustrating buffering and muffled conversations.

According to the map no matter what route is taken - M20/A20/A2/A256 – all mobile operators experience stretches where there are insufficient speeds to attain Netflix’s recommended minimum streaming speed.

Queues of 7,000 HGVs would stretch 70 miles through most of Kent - the distance from the Eurotunnel terminal to the House of Commons.

The interactive map covers the duration of that route and highlights the best (light yellow) and worst (blacks) coverage areas, revealing the stops where drivers are most likely to be able to enjoy an uninterrupted episode of Selling Sunset.

FarrPoint chief Dr Andrew Muir said “We saw the predicted disruption near the Kent border crossing and wondered how these drivers would be able to stay connected with families and the outside world whilst essentially stuck for days."

For much of this week and at various points this month there has been major disruption at both Eurotunnel and the Port of Dover that's been put down to both Brexit trials and, most recently, Christmas, coronavirus and stockpiling.

How is Brexit going to affect Kent? For all the latest news, views and analysis visit our dedicated page here.

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