The meeting between the British and French Home Secretaries didn’t yield much in headlines – about the strike anyway – but the situation has improved considerably this afternoon. However, apart from P&O saying it is back to its regular, full-strength schedule there is nothing official to say the dispute is over: no word from union boss Eric Vercoutre, or from DFDS about its Dover-Calais services (DFDS just tweeted to say the strike is still on).

Meanwhile, there’s a developing spat between DFDS and Eurotunnel over when exactly the former can expect to get its hands on the two former-MyFerryLink ships it recently leased from the latter. The ferries are apparently still both moored in Calais harbour, occupied by the former-MyFerryLink workers… See more on live blog below.

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Photo: workmen mend the fence at Eurotunnel France yesterday afternoon, @YouAreParsons

17:30: another barnstorming statement from P&O’s chief executive Helen Deeble: ‘We are already moving back to our full schedule of 25 sailings a day,’ she says.

We have the capacity to move 4000 freight units a day and we expect to be able to carry the backlog of lorry drivers currently waiting in Operation Stack across to the Continent within the next 48 hours…

We now look to the British and French governments to ensure that there is no repetition of this madness. The port of Calais is a vital strategic link in the transport infrastructure of both countries and it must stay open.’

17:00: DFDS should have taken possession of the former MyFerryLink ferries from today. The two ships, owned by Eurotunnel, are currently occupied by strikers in Calais harbour.

We asked DFDS whether it could now have the strikers evicted. The firm has just replied to say, ‘We are awaiting confirmation of when Eurotunnel is able to deliver the ships to us.’

We have asked Eurotunnel if they want to comment but are yet to hear back.

15:30: strike leader Eric Vercoutre will hold a press conference at 18:30 local time in Calais after discussing his meeting today – with the French transport minister – with the other strikers. The words ‘in limbo’ and ‘not positive, not negative’ appear in the report from Nord Littoral, which also says P&O was allowed to sail into Calais yesterday because the union got the meeting with the minister.

14:30: the joint statement issued after the meeting between British Home Secretary Therea May and her French counterpart Bernard Cazeneuve doesn’t refer to the strike at all. It appears the meeting was purely about the Calais migrant crisis and terrorism. Both the Guardian and the BBC were under the impression the talks included the Calais strike.

Subsequently, the French government has announced Theresa May is on her way to Calais to discuss the strike action (according to Jason Beattie of the Mirror, adding that the ‘Home Office, for some reason, decided not to tell us’). 

Meanwhile, shipping minister Robert Goodwill has been in Dover to assess the situation ahead of a meeting of the government’s COBR emergency committee tonight.

12:30: in the face of striker’s threats, Eurotunnel says it is pressing charges against those who have already broken through the security fence at its French terminal.

The Channel Tunnel operator again calls on the French authorities to restore order in Calais as the National Asset Barrier makes its way to France.

Strike leader Eric Vercoutre says security at Eurotunnel is a ‘joke’ and that strikers can breach the fence ‘like a knife through butter’. He has threatened to step up the action at the French terminal today and tomorrow.

In response, John Keefe, Director of Public Affairs at Eurotunnel says, ‘It is the responsibility of the authorities to maintain order and to protect the security of the Channel Tunnel. It is also their responsibility to deal with instances of criminal damage and the endangering of life through the action of strikers. Eurotunnel is pressing charges against the perpetrators and has, for some time, been pressing the authorities to restore order and public safety in the Calais area.’

There have been several invasions at the terminal this week, by strikers and migrants – including one incident where a fire was lit on the track – though there have been no breaches in the past two days.

The UK National Asset Barrier – a 9ft high, 4km fence which can be erected within hours – is on its way to France according to the BBC.

12:00: P&O has denied rumours that Calais has closed again this morning. A spokesperson told us a few moments ago that Dover-Calais sailings are currently proceeding to plan – in fact, it has increased the frequency from one every two hours to one every ninety minutes. Also, that the firm has increased tonnage in order to accommodate the maximum number of vehicles, that it can ‘guarantee’ to get customers to the Continent but that they should move quickly to avoid the threat of further potential action.

Interestingly, they add later that ‘anyone travelling this weekend should travel as normal’.

10:00: @SANEF_Autoroute says it is delivering water to drivers held in A16>Dunkirk Operation Stack queue.

09:30: photos emerge – via @GaryAndrews77 – of graffiti on the former-MyFerryLink ferries moored in Calais harbour and occupied by strikers.

OVERNIGHT: the dust settles as it becomes clear the strike is very much still on, albeit with some relief for P&O customers. The Daily Mail quotes strike leader Eric Vercoutre calling security at the Tunnel a ‘joke’ and that the strikers could breach the fence ‘like a knife through butter’. He has promised to step up the action at Eurotunnel today and tomorrow.

The union is due to meet the French transport minister this morning but in the meantime will let P&O ferries enter Calais one by one reports France24. Home secretary Theresa May and her French counterpart are also expected to visit Calais. Due to give a press conference in Paris at 13:00BST.

Catch up with yesterday’s developments here.

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Tour de France 2015 Pyrenees schedule: Stage 10 – Tuesday 14 July, Tarbes to La Pierre Saint Martin, the final stretch on the Col du Soudet, Col de Labays and Pas de Guilhers to the Col de la Pierre St Martin. Stage 11 – Wednesday 15 July, Pau to Vallee de Saint Savin on tour regulars Col d’Aspin and Col du Tourmalet. Stage 12 – Thursday 16 July, Lannemezan to Plateau de Beille via Col de Portet-d’Aspet, Col de la Core and Port de Lers. Photo: new Jaguar F-PACE SUV prototype escorts Team Sky on this year’s Tour de France.

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Extraordinary developments this evening as P&O suddenly restarts Dover-Calais services while DFDS’ remain suspended. It appears the strikers now agree P&O is being unfairly impacted in the dispute. Where this leaves DFDS and Eurotunnel is anyone’s guess. Union leader Eric Vercoutre earlier threatened to step up the action tomorrow and Friday. See more on this, and the rest of the day’s events, in the live blog below.

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P&O is operating a crafty no-frills, strictly one-way, limited service from Dover to Boulogne between 05:30 and 17:30. Vehicles escorted from the port by security staff. See POFerries.com

17:00: a statement from DFDS (via KentOnline) says its offer to take on 202 MyFerryLink employees has been rejected. It says:

‘DFDS has had no response to this offer and is surprised by the apparent unwillingness of the SCOP Seafrance administrators to engage in a dialogue with DFDS.

Yesterday night, DFDS was informed by the administrators that this offer was rejected.

DFDS regrets the position taken by the administrators, but remains at the disposal of the Commercial Court of Boulogne to discuss a transfer of parts of the SCOP Seafrance business in order to minimize the social impact of the potential liquidation of SCOP Seafrance.

The rejection of the offer does not affect the agreed bareboat charters between DFDS and the Eurotunnel Group, which will commence on 2 July 2015.’

The question now is, will DFDS be able to evict the strikers currently occupying the two ships in Calais harbour when it officially takes possession? We have asked but are yet to hear back.

A note on the firm’s website says its Dover-Calais sailings are suspended by industrial action until 23:59 Friday 3 July.

16:15: Prime minister David Cameron calls the Calais strike an ‘illegal blockade’ after talking with the French president. ‘We’ll continue working closely together,’ says Cameron.

16:00: the MyFerryLink.com website has gone offline sometime in the past ninety minutes. In it’s place is a simple homepage containing advice for passengers with bookings made for after today, on getting a refund or transferring to Eurotunnel.

A statement signed by managing director Robin Wilkins says, ‘Everyone at MyFerryLink is disappointed that our company and our service to customers cannot continue. We are extremely sorry for the inconvenience to you, but would like to thank you sincerely for booking with us.’

15:15: Operation Stack to be extended from J8-12 on coastbound M20 says @Kent_Police.

14:30: DFDS says it has space available on its Dover-Dunkirk route – and the ships are now back on schedule – though there is freight traffic management in place due to heavy traffic. 

Under the circumstance says Eurotunnel, passengers arriving late will be accommodated on the next available crossing at no extra cost. Meanwhile Eurotunnel exit J42 on the A16 is open and ‘maintained by the authorities’.

13:30: tragi-comic blogpost – The Road to Hell – from comedian Ian Moore who found himself caught up in yesterday’s chaos at Calais. He also saw some fisticuffs between a truck driver and migrant.

Inevitably with the heat and delays tempers have frayed. Yesterday afternoon a Dutch trucker was apparently surrounded by seven migrants who ‘threatened to kill him’ (via @Justice4Truckers). He turned round and went back to the Netherlands.

12:15: a meeting of 250 strikers this morning, see previous, decided to have a ’relaxing’ day today – though still maintaining the Calais blockade – before stepping up the action tomorrow and Friday, including ‘multiple actions’ to block the Channel Tunnel reports La Voix du Nord.

An opportunity for the authorities to step in should come at midnight tonight when the ships officially pass to DFDS.

Quick roundup 12:00: union members are due to vote this morning on whether to call off – or escalate – the strike action reports thelocal.fr.

@UKinFrance says Calais local authorities have plans to address the lack of food and water for drivers stuck on the A16 Dunkirk-Calais. The Red Cross has been distributing water to those stuck across the Belgian border we are told.

10:00: with no delays now at Eurotunnel freight UK, the first trucks are starting to leave Operation Stack on a regular basis to make their way to the Channel Tunnel. Still long delays in France, up to five hours before check-in, though the wait is apparently compounded by security checks for stowaways after the vehicles have been loaded onto carriages. 

Port of Dover publishes a guide to Operation Stack in eleven different languages.

At the same time, the chief executive of the Road Haulage Association, Richard Burnett, tells the Guardian, ‘The UK and French governments must acknowledge their responsibilities to all port of Calais users, move in and act. If this means deployment of the armed forces then so be it.’

08:00: whatever the general picture yesterday, see below, drivers stuck in the M20 Operation Stack truck queue are certainly being fed and watered this morning. KentOnline reports a ‘huge effort’ to bring supplies by the Kent Coastguard and County Council. Meanwhile however there are still concerns about drivers held in queues on the other side of the Channel.

07:30: MyFerryLink says it has secured some transfer space with Eurotunnel for essential travel. ‘Qualifying traffic’ should check in at Dover to be issued with a transfer voucher.

06:00: last night was the first night since the dispute began that Eurotunnel suffered no migrant invasion or suspension of services at its French terminal.

As well as Operation Stack on both sides of the M20 in Kent J8/9, freight is queuing on the A16 from the Belgium border to Dunkirk.

OVERNIGHT: @KentPoliceRoads was very put out at suggestions trucks drivers in Operation Stack on the M20 were left without water yesterday. It says water was distributed by @KentHighways and @Kent_CC and supplied by Tesco. Nevertheless driver @AlanBall4234 waited eleven hours until water was dropped off by the coastguard. @YouAreParsons said he waited ‘a very, very long time’.

@KentPoliceRoads also scotched rumours livestock trucks were kept waiting in the Operation Stack queue.

Eurotunnel chief executive Jacques Gounon is being hauled before French transport minister Alain Vidalies on Friday to answer questions about the MyFerryLink deal.

Catch up with yesterday’s events here.

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roundup Day Two: Eurotunnel survived two invasions today – one from migrants overnight and another from MyFerryLink strikers this afternoon – as the dispute spread from Calais. Fortunately Dunkirk has so far escaped trouble though the roads around have been jammed all day. Union boss Eric Vercoutre has issued at least two media threats to escalate the action. Hopefully P&O’s improvised one-way service from Dover to Boulogne can relieve some pressure because, as feared, the strike looks almost certain to carry on until Thursday. The most pressing concern at the moment however is the lack of food and water for drivers stuck on either side of the Channel, on the hottest day of the year so far (@KentPoliceRoads subsequently tweeted to say ‘contrary to media reports water has been supplied to lorry drivers in Operation Stack’, but see below). See Day Three live blog here.

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The Operation Stack HGV queue is in place on the M20 for the second time in two weeks. Yesterday the coastbound carriageway J8-9 was closed; this afternoon Phase 3, in the opposite direction, was closed too. Non-freight traffic is diverted via yellow square signs with a black border (though car drivers are advised to use the M2/A2 route to Dover). Coastbound trucks must join the M20 queue, to receive a ticket; all trucks without tickets are turned away at Dover. Photo @KentPoliceRoads

16:30: it seems the threat of the strike spreading to Dunkirk has receded for now. Despite reports a convoy of protestors heading that way, @DFDSSeaways tells @LeeSmith_107, ‘No reported industrial action at Dunkirk. Heavy congestion due to volume of traffic.’

16:00: truck drivers waiting in the Operation Stack queue have been left without food and water. @YouAreParsons was told some was on the way but in the end was given a bottle of water by a passing police rider. He wasn’t the only one complaining. (Dutch transport minister Melanie Schultz has also urgently asked French authorities to supply water in Calais and Dunkirk too).

Meanwhile, the organisation around Operation Stack seems woeful. The official Kent Police page was last updated at 08:45 this morning despite Phase 3 being introduced this afternoon (see above). Last week, questions from drivers needing to know how long it would remain in place went unanswered; it was lifted just a couple of hours later.

15:30: Brittany Ferries issues a statement to say there is still space available on many sailings and that all routes are operating as normal. It runs 120 departures each week between the UK, France and Spain in the Western Channel. See Brittany-Ferries.co.uk, or phone 0871 244 1400.

15:15: it seems P&O will start a one-way service from Dover to Boulogne (see 13:30), message received via Motis Ireland. Strictly one-way – just off-loading in Boulogne – no-frills to maximise carrying capacity.

At the same time it says it has been warned the strike could last until midnight Thursday 2 July.

14:30: Emma Bentley, finally arrived in Dunkirk reports, ‘Traffic leaving Dunkirk ferry port very, very heavy. Standstill, even. Roads blocked off. Police everywhere,’ – along with a picture of a group of police at a traffic island (see 09:30).

13:50: more threats from union boss Eric Vercoutre (see below). Thelocal.fr quotes him saying, ‘The blockade is in place. We want to make the French, British and Belgian governments understand that if a solution isn’t found to save our 600 jobs, there will be a lot of disruption this summer.

‘When the mobilization ramps up, we’ll block everything,’ he warned.

13:30: intriguing possibility that P&O is trying to outfox the strikers by sailing to Boulogne instead. @DoverFerryPhotos reports Pride of Burgundy is in Boulogne with Pride of Kent enroute. However, @POFerries tells @FerrymanThe, ‘This is a discharge only service to clear stranded passengers from the Port of Dover ONLY. Thanks.’

Meanwhile, P&O is telling customers it ‘doesn’t foresee the strike extending beyond Thursday’.

13:00: Eurotunnel services suspended. Strikers have gained access to French terminal and started a fire on the track says @Eurostar.

Phase 3 of Operation Stack is implemented, London-bound J9-8, see above.

12:30: like last week, another forthright statement from P&O chief executive Helen Dibble. She calls on both the French and British governments to intervene and says the strikes are putting thousands of P&O jobs at risk. Worth reading in full:

‘Through no fault of their own, our passengers are caught in the middle of an industrial relations battle that has been caused by Eurotunnel who sold their ships to a rival ferry company without securing the jobs of the workers involved. This has left thousands of holidaymakers and lorry drivers stranded without adequate facilities, even though our employees at the port have done their level best to keep them supplied with food and water.

Let me be clear: the buck stops with the French government. They have shown that they can move swiftly to stop any disruption at the Tunnel. But they have effectively abandoned any attempt to maintain security at the port of Calais, which makes a nonsense of European co-operation.

And when is the British government going to stand up to ensure that we can all get to mainland Europe safely and securely? Every day that the disruption lasts costs UK plc millions of pounds. P&O Ferries alone employs thousands of people on both sides of the Channel and this damaging and dangerous industrial action is putting those jobs at risk.’

12:00: poignant tweet from MyFerryLink in reply to criticism via twitter saying the staff in the office are not on strike and are doing all they can to assist. The person behind the account adds, ‘I am very proud of them’.

11:30: DFDS tweets to say Dunkirk Port is open but there are high freight volumes arriving at the port.

09:30: frequent traveller Emma Bentley, waiting in Dover, tweets to say she was warned at check-in of the possibility strikers may try to shut Dunkirk today. However, Freightlink tweets to say a strike at Dunkirk is not possible since staff there have a legal agreement in their contracts not to strike – though @A CommonLawyer says the right to strike is constitutional, adding ‘minimum service’ is different. We shall see.

09:00: MyFerryLink tweets, ‘Important: access to Calais now impossible so unable to transfer. Customers advised to seek alternative services for travel to UK’.

08:30: Daniel Fasquelle, Deputy of the Pas-de-Calais region, demands Eurotunnel be brought before a hearing of the Commission of Economic Affairs. He calls the decision to sell the MyFerryLink ships to DFDS ‘incomprehensible’.

07:30: ‘Right now the action is concentrated on the port,’ the main maritime union organising the industrial action – Eric Vercoutre – tells AFP. He also apparently doesn’t rule out ‘wider action in the days ahead’.

06:00: ‘migrant disturbance’ at Eurotunnel’s French terminal suspends services but they resume at around 07:00 albeit with some disruption.

OVERNIGHT: recognition that P&O is most badly hit of all the short sea operators. Tony Essam, stuck in Calais, tweets, ‘So you booked MyFerryLink you can go by the tunnel, if you booked DFDS you can go by Dunkirk, if you booked P&O tough!’ Ferry industry consultant Paul Woodbury tweets, ‘This is having real detrimental and unfair impact on P&O and their customers. Authorities need to act fast.’

DFDS confirmed to Kent Online the company would be taking over the MyFerryLink ships but says it will not honour bookings made for after the takeover date (2 July).

RECAP: MyFerryLink workers went on strike early yesterday morning with all services cancelled ‘until further notice’. By 14:30BST the services of DFDS and P&O were suspended too. See more here.

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A second MyFerryLink strike at Calais spreads to DFDS and P&O as hauliers avoid the French Channel port – and even the UK – in face of migrant and industrial action threat.

Also, Portuguese crackdown on wild camping. An inauspicious but predictable start for the new ‘circulation plan’ in central Brussels. EU unveils proposed transport projects set to receive €13.1bn. Mercedes’ Secret SLS on a 1950s Stelvio.

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NEW STRIKE SPREADS IN CALAIS

Repeat wildcat MyFerryLink strike suspends all Dover-Calais ferry services.

Another strike by MyFerryLink workers today raises doubts whether the Dover-Calais operator’s ships will ever be seen in service again.

MyFerryLink initially tweeted that the morning services had been cancelled due to industrial action. It later said crossings were suspended ‘until further notice’.

Two of the firm’s ferries will transfer to DFDS on Wednesday. The third will be retained by owner Eurotunnel in an agreement finalised last week.

The strike was initially limited to MyFerryLink but from 14:30 both DFDS and P&O suspended services Dover-Calais services. It was reported at the same time that MyFerryLink directors had lost of court case in Boulogne to prevent the ships’ sale.

It follows last week’s blockade of the port and Eurotunnel’s access roads. On Saturday afternoon, DFDS reported brief disruption in Calais due to industrial action by Chamber of Commerce staff. Earlier that day more than 500 people marched in Calais town centre in support of MyFerryLink workers according to mayor Natacha Bouchart.

Meanwhile, early this morning Eurotunnel freight services were suspended due to ‘significant migrant disturbance overnight’. They resumed by 07:30, initially with very long delays, but were back on track by lunchtime. The firm has yet to respond to requests for further comment.

There are signs that the combination of MyFerryLink strikes and migrant activity is putting hauliers off from using Calais, and perhaps even avoiding the UK all together.

On Friday, the Freightex road transport company issued a statement warning against price rises as fewer trucks would be available through the Channel port.

It quotes a customer saying, ‘According to the situation of immigrants in Calais (North of France), we are going to send less trucks to GB. We cannot take this risk, it’s catastrophic. If we send the drivers there they will be in jeopardy. We hope the French and the UK government will solve this problem ASAP.”

Also on Friday, Lee Johnson from RGF Logistics in Birmingham told the Mirror newspaper the firm has ended all European deliveries to protect drivers from harm in Calais.

The day before, Kevin Hopper, managing director of Brian Yeardley Continental, tweeted, ‘Four trucks at P&O Zeebrugge last night. Safety first, keeping driers and loads safe away from Calais is our number one priority.’

The UK Home Office has reportedly announced today it will build new security fencing around the Eurotunnel freight terminal in France, similar to the one already erected around Calais port. The 2.5 mile, nine feet high fence should be completed by late July.

Whether that will be enough to tempt hauliers back to Calais – to say nothing of tourists during the summer season – remains to be seen.

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Accomplished war photographer David Douglas Duncan took a series of pictures of this Mercedes-Benz prototype 300SL ‘Gullwing’ roadster – the so-called ‘Secret SLS’ – on a trip around Switzerland and Italy for the 12 October 1956 issue of Collier’s magazine. Designer Karl Wilfert was at the wheel as they tackled mountain roads such as Stelvio, above.

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roundup: PORTUGAL. Police in Portimao in the south west are cracking down on wild campers reports The Portugal News. Though Portugal has liberal laws on long term motorhome parking, it is an increasing issue in some places: last year campers were evicted from Silves in the Algarve. This latest action centered on the Southwest Alentejo and Vicentine Coast Natural Park (PNSACV) where overnight stays are prohibited. Twenty two eviction notices were handed out. BELGIUM. Drivers heading into Brussels this morning faced an arduous commute on the first day of the new circulation plan. Delays of more than an hour on the R20 inbound to the Pentagon ring road first thing, for instance, only dipped below thirty minutes after lunch. Police cited accidents and road works for the delays but transport agency Brussel Mobiliteit directly blamed the new enlarged pedestrian zone – which doubled in size to fifty acres from this morning – according to Deredactie.be. City centre traffic is now directed around a new, mainly one-way ‘local ring’. Brussel Mobiliteit says delays will lessen in the coming days and weeks as motorists adapt. The circulation plan will be reviewed in eight months. Update: latest reports via Le Soir say it will take three days for drivers to get used to the new arrangements. TRANSPORT. The EU has published the proposed projects set to receive €13.1bn in funding under its Connecting Europe Facility (CEF). Along with public and private cash the total amount invested is expected to reach €28.8bn. The money is targeted at bottlenecks and cross-border connections. The majority is for rail but eye catching road projects include €589m for the Fehmarn Fixed Link (including rail) between Denmark and Germany and €7.5m for a second Karawanke Tunnel tube between Austria and Slovenia. There is also €82m towards Calais Port redevelopment, €7.5m for truck parking and €75m for Intelligent Transport Systems (ITS) projects. The projects must next be approved by the CEF Committee on 10 July. More on this soon.

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Simplon Pass – ‘among the Alp’s most beautiful crossings’ – might be a well-trod freight route between Switzerland and Italy but thanks to that there’s no easier way to get above 2000m, and it’s normally open all year round.

Not exciting enough? Find the original pass road or drive Zwischbergenstrasse along Switzerland’s most remote valley.

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E62 Simplonpass – A9/H9 in Switzerland and SS33 in Italy – runs 66km (40 miles) from Brig across the Italian border to Domodossola, more or less halfway between the Mont Blanc and Gotthard Tunnels. The pass itself is 20km inside the Swiss border.

It’s not fair to call Simplon Pass a ‘mountain motorway’ since it isn’t even dual carriageway (just occasional 2+1 lanes).

But it is an important trade route between south west Switzerland and north west Italy, on the axis between Lausanne/Bern and Milan/Turin. Around 100,000 trucks drive this road each year.

However, thanks to that it is open all year round – usually – despite topping out at 2005m (6575ft).

The risk of avalanche in really heavy snow means it does shut occasionally so keep an eye on TCS during the winter months, or check out the webcam (see below).

Should it be closed, the car train between Brig and Iselle di Trasquera costs 22CHF (€21) and takes twenty minutes.

Otherwise, even beginners – or those nervous of heights – will enjoy Simplon Pass. With a maximum slope of 9%, and corners profiled for heavy vehicles, there isn’t an easier way to rise above 2000m.

The only real issue at the moment is the three sets of road works, two on the north side and one on the south, all with alternate traffic. The northernmost is due to finish this year, the southern one next year, and the final one in 2018.

Apart from the usual stunning scenery – the Swiss claim it to be among the most beautiful crossings in the Alps – the standout features for us were the futuristic, concrete Ganter Bridge across the Ganter Valley in the north (Switzerland’s longest at 2.2km) and the narrow Gondo Gorge in the south with vertical granite walls.

It was Napoleon who first paved Simplon Pass in the early nineteenth century. He also built the Simplon Hospiz, the largest pass hotel in the Alps, where double B&B rooms cost €60.

Portions of the original ‘Simplonstrasse’ road remain at various points for those wanting more adventure – see map below – including a bypass of the Ganter Bridge. There are also myriad off-shoot roads, notably Zwischbergenstrasse from Gondo, up along Zwischbergertal, described as one of Switzerland’s most remote valleys.

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Simplonpass is the only pass road, as such, the others are all villages (except Italia, obviously).

The pass cuts between the Pennine Alps in the west – with five peaks higher than 15,000ft – and the Lepontine Alps in the east, both in the Western Alps (also see Gotthard, Furka and Nufenen Passes). The highest Lepontine peak is Monte Leone (Lion) which overlooks Simplonpass to the east. The mountain above is Glishorn, a Pennine Alp – 2525m, 8284ft – which dominates the view south of Brig.

The remarkable Ganter Bridge curves in an S-shape across the Ganter Valley, 150m above the Saltina River. The unusual design is a ‘low-tower cable-stayed’ bridge, also called ‘extradosed’. It means the strength is derived from a combination of cables (here enclosed in concrete) and thick structural girders supporting the deck. It’s an expensive construction method but allows for an elegant form (no?).

Considering Ganter Bridge – Ganterbruecke – was built 1976-1980 it is wearing extremely well.

An unflattering view of Napoleon’s lead-roofed Hospiz taken on the hoof in rapidly descending cloud and rain (it was sunny and clear back down in the valleys). Despite looking shuttered-up the newly refurbished hotel is actually open all year round. Hubschhorn and Monte Leone provide the backdrop while the grounds on the other side run down to Rotelsee Lake.

The descent on the south side is along the narrowing Val Divedro.

The third set of road works, between Gabi and Gondo, on the final run down to the Italian border. The long succession of open-sided ‘galleries’, the road popping out from time to time along the Diveria river, need refurbishing to protect against rock fall. A disastrous landslide in Gondo in 2000 killed thirteen. The path of the rockfall is obvious even today from the half rebuilt Stockalper Tower in the centre.

The grand finale is the descent through Gondo Gorge. We have no complaints driving north to south but many say the views in the opposite direction, latterly head on to the Bernese Alps, are even better.

Soon after Domodossola SS33 turns to dual carriageway making the hop down to Milan even easier – though we made the Mediterranean, near Genoa, in only a couple of hours.

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To check real time weather conditions, and for all other tourist info, see Simplon.ch.

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New traffic circulation in central Brussels from Monday as pedestrian zone doubles in size.

Also, overnight ‘migrant disturbance’ at Eurotunnel freight France. The north stretch of the Gotthard Pass reopens ahead of a Black Saturday in Switzerland. 2016 Austria vignette still good value compared to neighbours. A spot check on commercial vehicles in Belgium finds a significant but improved failure rate.

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The Brussels’ Stock Exchange and Beursplein with Anspachlaan running across. Photo @DriveEurope.

Brussels will undergo its most radical change in 100 years next week as the central pedestrian area doubles in size.

From next Monday (29 June), the Beursplein square around the Stock Exchange along with Anspachlaan, the main shopping street which crosses Beursplein – plus other, surrounding streets – will be barred to vehicles in this central area as the existing pedestrian area grows from 28 to 50 acres.

The new no-car zone will be one of the largest in Europe.

However, the new circulation plan will be reviewed next year. In a statement City of Brussels says, ‘Because it is 100 years since the whole city was so radically changed, it is – despite extensive studies – hard to predict how people will adapt to the new situation. Study and practice may differ. Therefore, an eight month test phase is needed.’

Traffic on more than twenty streets will be redirected to create a (mostly) one-way anticlockwise ring road around the centre, well inside the R20 Pentagon ring road, primarily intended to speed cars to parking places.

Meanwhile, transit traffic between the north and south of the city will be directed to the R20.

The only road inside the new ‘local ring’ open to traffic will be Rue Lombard, and only from its eastern end.

Aside from potential gridlock as drivers get used to the new arrangements, the major difficulty is likely to be commercial deliveries. Under the new rules, vans and trucks will only be allowed into the centre until 11:00. A new CityDepot will open in the centre to forward consignments by bike or cart says deredactie.be.

See the new traffic plan, in English, on the City of Brussels website or our recent ‘Driving in the Brussels Pentagon’.

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Thankfully the north stretch of the Gotthard Pass – in the Schollenen Gorge (above) – reopened on schedule this afternoon because tomorrow is a Black Saturday in Switzerland. Heavy traffic is forecast heading north and south; inevitably that means hours’ long delays at the A2 Gotthard Tunnel. Taking the pass instead is one of the best ways to avoid the queues. Meanwhile it is also expected to be a very busy getaway from Paris from 14:00 this afternoon (and again tomorrow but less so). Busiest however will be Germany – see here for a roundup. Substantial delays are also possible on the A22 Brennero motorway between Innsbruck and Verona.

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roundup: EUROTUNNEL. After the freight service in France was suspended during the night due to a ‘security incident’, the company tells us this morning that, ‘There was migrant disturbance overnight however we managed to contain it to a minimum and still kept a service running. We also cleared the majority of the backlog of trucks overnight.’ Services from the UK ran throughout and resumed from France at around 07:00. Delays this morning are apparently due to the number of trucks being security and Border Forced checked. AUSTRIA. The price of the 2016 vignette will increase by 1.5% says state roads manager ASFINAG today. Ten days for a vehicle up to 3.5t is €8.80, two months at €25.70 and annually €85.70 They go on sale from the end of November and are valid from 1 December (as in Switzerland, the annual vignette lasts for 14 months, until 31 January the following year). As ASFINAG points out, the Austrian 10 day sticker – allowing unlimited miles on motorways and expressways – is reasonable value compared to other countries. At 2015 prices, the same costs €9.50 in Hungary (2750HUF) and €10 in Slovakia while the seven day Slovenia vignette is €15. ASFINAG is completely funded by toll revenue. BELGIUM. Recent spot checks on 8574 vehicles found one in eight trucks and buses failed to meet safety standards reports Deredactie.be. However, the 12.6% failure rate is an improvement on the 14% recorded during similar checks last year. The most common defect was faulty headlights (37%) with a fifth having poor brakes. Seven percent had worn tyres.

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A quick look at Sardinia, inspired by Rolls-Royce’s new pop-up summer dealership.

Also, even bigger Calais strike threatened after 1 July as UK announces measures to prevent fresh chaos. Grenoble-Briancon road closure forces Tour de France reschedule. Good news for Port of Dover as contract signed on redevelopment (and the County Hotel lines up for demolition).

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ROLLING AROUND SARDINIA

Home to sandy white beaches, holidaying billionaires, and the Rally Sardegna.

Photo via Roll-Royce Motor Cars Limited.

Predictions that the Russia sanctions would kill off the high rolling tourist season on Sardinia failed to deter Rolls Royce.

Like last year, the luxury car maker will host a pop-up dealership on the Promenade du Port in Porto Cervo throughout the summer.

Developed by the Aga Khan in the 1960s, the capital of the Costa Smeralda in the north east of Sardinia – arranged around a secluded inlet of the Tyrrhenian Sea – remains as much a billionaires’ playground today as it was then.

Potential Rolls’ customers can relax in the bespoke ‘Casa Fendi’ lounge – designed by the Italian fashion house – or take cars on test drives around the island, including in the new Wraith Port Cervo special edition, just three of which have been produced.

Meanwhile, mere mortals should know Sardinia is served by no less than thirteen different ferry routes, including Barcelona, and ports from Genoa in north Italy to Naples in the south.

With six ports on Sardinia to chose from, the best route is likely to be the one nearest the final destination. As the second largest Mediterranean island after Sicily, 300km north to south, it can take four hours to drive across.

The shortest ferry crossing is Civitavecchia (Rome)-Olbia with a sailing time of 7h30 and prices from €90 each way (Genoa is the nearest port to Calais at 1200km). 

Sardinia is famous for its beaches, ‘all with exquisite powdery white sand and that cliché crystal clear turquoise water,’ according to DestinationEU. Apart from one beach in the north west, she says the best are to be found on the south and east coasts.

We hear great things about SS195 to the west of capital Cagliari in the south. For more challenging roads check out the route of Rally Sardegna, centered on the sandy roads around Alghero in the north west (and see this video taster).

The highest mountains are in the centre; Punta La Marmora tops out at a useful 1834m (6000ft).

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The landslide which cut the Grenoble-Briancon road at Lake Chambon in April has forced the Tour de France to rejig Stage 20 – the final day in the Alps – on Saturday 25 July. Instead of Col de Galibier on the 110.5km ride between Modane and Alpe d’Huez, the tour will repeat Col de la Croix Fer from the previous stage, albeit in the opposite direction. The day will finish as originally planned on the ’21 Bends’ of Alpe d’Huez. The overall route, starting in Utrecht on 4 July, crosses the north of France from east to west until Sunday 12 July. It then restarts in the Pyrenees on Tuesday 14 July heading east to the Alps. See more here. Find the locations of all French mountain pass roads on PassFinder.

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roundup: CALAIS STRIKE. As feared, the unions behind Tuesday’s protest threaten a much larger strike unless Eurotunnel stops the sale of the MyFerryLink ships to DFDS. According to Lloyd’s Loading List, the Channel Tunnel operator has a deadline of 1 July – when the ships transfer to the new owner – or face ‘three or even four days’ of action which would make this week’s events ‘seem like a picnic’. Eurotunnel said yesterday it ‘cannot allow it to be believed that there is a better solution than that which has been put in place’. Meanwhile, UK Prime Minister David Cameron tweeted earlier that ‘The transport secretary will chair the COBR [emergency committee] to ensure we’re working with the French to have right plans in place if another wildcat strike in Calais.’ DOVER. Just over a week after it was announced the despised concrete high rise County Hotel building in the town centre is finally in line for demolition, Port of Dover has signed a ‘landmark’ redevelopment contract. The agreement with marine construction company GRAHAM is to finalise plans for the shifting of all cargo operations to the Western Docks. This will free up space to expand ferry services in the existing Eastern Docks (see ‘Dover Makeover’). The pair want to start building early next year and open the new Western Docks in 2017, alongside on-going works in the ferry port. The project promises to create 600 ‘quality’ jobs.

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Twelve straight weekends of horrendous holiday traffic kicks off in Germany this Saturday.

Also, alert as DFDS offers jobs to only 202 MyFerryLink workers. More details on tomorrow’s taxi strike around France. The SLR Club ventures into ‘one of the loveliest parts of Europe’.

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GERMAN JAM SEASON BEGINS

Leave early to avoid the worst delays.

The cross country A3 – from Cologne in the west to the Austrian border in the south east – is one of Germany’s busiest roads. Avoid it this summer if you can, especially westbound. Photo @DriveEurope

The holiday jams in Germany may be among the very worst in Europe but they start notably late on.

The big delays are not really apparent until mid to late morning.

This observation is based on almost two years of watching German traffic – that’s an awful lot of jams – but is also borne out by motoring club ADAC. It says peak times this weekend – the first of twelve straight busy weekends – will be 11-18:00 on Saturday and 14-20:00 on Sunday.

Getaway day on Friday will start much earlier however, from 14:00 until 19:00.

This does means there is a benefit to be had from leaving extra early, unlike in France where it pays to leave late.

ADAC says it is not expecting ‘endless sheet avalanches’ of traffic this weekend. Nevertheless Saturday is marked in the top category – ‘very heavy traffic with long delays’ – as the first schools break up (in Nord Rhein Westphalia, the region around Cologne, Dortmund and Essen).

Drivers head north to the Baltic and south to the Alps and Adriatic so cross-country routes will be busiest: A1 Cologne-Hamburg-Denmark, A2 Dortmund-Berlin, A3 Cologne-Austria, A5 Frankfurt-Basel, A6 Heilbronn-Nuremberg, A7 Denmark-Hamburg-Austria, A8 Karlsruhe-Munich-Salzburg and A9 Berlin-Munich, plus the A10 Berlin and A99 Munich ring roads.

This being early summer many of these roads have road works. Outbound the worst is likely to be the A8 Karlsruhe-Munich. Coming back watch out for A3 Nuremberg-Cologne and A7 Ulm-Hamburg/Denmark.

There are only two outright closures, the A261 in Hamburg between the A1 and A7 northbound (until 4 December), and the A3 at Wurzburg in both directions overnight Saturday-Sunday. 

Every Saturday until Saturday 8 August will be very similar in terms of heavy traffic. Fridays join in from 17 July.

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It might not be as adventurous as previous trips to Croatia and Scandinavia, but the latest SLR Club tour will certainly be scenic. Day one of ‘Feel the Difference 2015’ saw the cars take on the roads in mountainous Salzkammergut, east of Salzburg in north central Austria, described recently by F1 journalist Joe Saward as ‘one of the loveliest parts of Europe’ (also read his roadtrip log Red Bull Ring-Paris). Follow along at @SLR_Club. Photo, lakeside Hallstadt via SLR Club.

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roundup: CROSSING THE CHANNEL. DFDS will only offer jobs to 202 out of 530 MyFerryLink workers when it takes over two of the operator’s ships next month the company says in a statement (via Dover Express). Uncertainty over job losses lay behind yesterday’s highly disruptive strike action in Calais, a day after Eurotunnel confirmed it would sell the ships to DFDS. The MyFerryLink boss told local news yesterday there had been no serious discussions with the workers about their jobs. Calais Mayor Natacha Bouchart has called a mass rally in the town centre from 10:30 on Saturday morning. The fear must be that ousted MyFerryLink workers will makes their voices heard before then. FRANCE. Strike action by taxi drivers around the country tomorrow – in opposition to controversial new taxi service UberPOP – is expected to last from 08:00-20:00. As reported at the weekend, drivers say they will ‘sit-in’ outside airports and railway stations around the country after ‘Operation Escargot’ go-slows from meeting points. With attendance likely to be high, knock-on traffic delays are possible. Particularly affected will be Paris (A1, A6), Lille, Lyon, Marseille, Toulouse and Nice. The government tried to reassure taxi drivers yesterday that the UberPOP service is already illegal and that enforcement is being stepped up, so far to no avail. Read more + (French).

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Striking MyFerryLink workers spark cross-Channel chaos after blockading Calais and Eurotunnel France.

Plus, a hundred Brits have been jailed in France for people smuggling in private vans and cars says the BBC. Adventurer drives 8000km to the Himalayas. More unmarked ‘double tap’ camera cars to hit French roads. Key Dolomites road partly reopens after landslide ‘with great caution’.

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MYFERRYLINK CALAIS STRIKE BLOCKS FERRIES AND TRAINS

Major disruption to last until 19:00 (18:00BST) with knock-on delays to follow.

Major disruption on the Channel this morning during MyFerryLink blockade.

Drama on the French side of the Channel early this morning after MyFerryLink ships blockaded all port movements in Calais and striking workers blocked access to the Eurotunnel freight terminal.

The Channel Tunnel operator also said this morning that migrants had attempted to breach its perimeter fence.

Truck driver Chris Cary told us that as he drove to catch the train in France at 05:00 the protestors threw things in his way.

‘Volvo 1, French 0,’ he said.

This all comes a day after Eurotunnel confirmed the sale of two MyFerryLink ships to rival Dover-Calais operator DFDS.

A forthright statement from P&O chief executive Helen Deeble says, ‘While we have tremendous sympathy for the difficult situation of these employees who fear that their jobs will end on 2 July, in disrupting the operations of the whole of the port of Calais, Eurotunnel continues to operate and DFDS sails into Dunkerque.

As a large and longstanding employer in Calais we are bearing the brunt of the disruption.’

Calais mayor Natacha Bouchart tweeted her support for the strikers and those ‘forcibly removed’ from the Tunnel adding that, ‘after months of uncertainty new statements from Eurotunnel and DFDS will see salaries fall further.’

MyFerryLink boss Robin Wilkins told Kentonline.co.uk, ‘There’s been no serious dialogue with them [MyFerryLink workers] about what their future holds… it’s something that should have been looked at in much more detail before the sail of the ships.’

Early reports the strike would not finish before this evening were correct. The first P&O ferry left Dover at 16:30BST with an arrival time of 18:00BST when the blockade is expected to be lifted. The first P&O service from Calais should leave at 19:30. 

The strike had seemed like it was starting to wind down mid-afternoon until protestors gained access to the Eurotunnel terminal in France and all services were suspended.

@Eurostar said it was unable to run trains due a fire outside the tunnel lit by protestors. Eurotunnel says it hopes to resume services later this evening.

Meanwhile, freight traffic built up around Dover, Eurotunnel, Calais and Dunkirk. Operation Stack for freight traffic has now been started on the M20 coastbound (and likely to remain in place overnight and into tomorrow). Car drivers are advised to follow the black circle on yellow background signs from J8, or head to Dover on the M2/A2.

All drivers waiting in France are advised to be especially vigilant of migrants attempting to gain access to vehicles.

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Adventurer Mike Horn drove a Mercedes G-Glass 8000km from his home in Switzerland to northwest Pakistan to climb K2. The 8000km trip took him through Moscow, above. ‘Let’s just say it’s a challenging commute to work,’ he says. Read about the trip or watch the six part short film.

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roundup: CALAIS MIGRANT CRISIS. Indebted students and others desperate for money, including British nationals, are being targeted by people traffickers in Calais says the BBC’s File on 4 programme. Up to 100 Britons have been jailed in France this past year for attempting to smuggle migrants in private vans and cars. People from the UK make up a quarter of those brought before local courts on trafficking charges. ‘Ticket to Hide’ will be broadcast on Radio 4 tonight at 20:00 or available later on BBC iPlayer. FRANCE. A fresh crop of 61 Dacia Sandero Stepway soft roaders is to join the fleet of unmarked police camera cars, adding to the existing Peugeot 208 and 308s, Renault Megane and Citroen Kangoos reports autorouteinfo.fr. By the end of the year more than 300 in total will be on the roads. Campaign group 40 Million Automobilistes calls them ‘a weapon of repression and stealth deterrence’ but there’s no denying their effectiveness, at least psychologically. When the first batch was introduced in March 2013 accident deaths immediately fell by 30% though the effect soon wore off. The increasing chances of getting caught may help reverse the current slide in road safety stats – these new generation ‘double tap’ cars can photograph front and back, in any weather, and on main roads too. ITALY. The scenic SS51 Alemagna State Road which heads up to Cortina d’Ampezzo in the High Dolomites – epicentre of major mountain roads such as Pordoi, Giau, Campolungo, Falzarego and Valparola – partly reopened ‘with great caution’ tonight after a landslide cut the road at Acquabona in the late afternoon according to reports. No vehicles were involved, and no-one was injured, after a mud bank collapsed during the storms which have plagued the region in the last few days.

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Our mega-mile All-Season tyre test sees a welcome uptick – and then some – in fuel economy. If only the ride (and residuals) were still as good.

Also, the ‘World’s Largest Electric Vehicle Rally’ heads through the Alps. The northern stretch of the H2 Gotthard Pass reopens on Friday. Poland marks first ever death-free day on the roads. The number of foreign drivers fined for traffic offences in Belgium jumped by 50% last year (to 300,000).

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ALL-SEASON TYRES: BEST EVER MPG

Fuel economy recovered but still question marks over ride (and residuals).

All-Season tyres: good value and widely available too. We even found some in war-torn Ukraine.

Apart from the comfy ride, the most immediately impressive quality of our Range Rover Evoque was the fuel economy.

Thirty six point seven miles per gallon is not amazingly frugal but it was much better than we expected of our first ever SUV, especially since it spends so much time at full throttle thanks to the puffy 190bhp, 2.2 litre diesel engine.

Irritatingly, that dipped to 35.3mpg after we fitted All-Season tyres at the 24,000 mile mark.

It remained stubbornly at that level to the point we gave up checking. So it was a really great to discover recently that, presumably due to the warmer weather, average economy has now improved to 37.7mpg, i.e. better than ever.

How that develops over the rest of the summer and back into autumn and winter will be interesting to watch. If we keep it that long…

Despite the Range Rover Evoque in general having the UK’s best residuals, according to CAP Automotive (via Motoring Research), our fully loaded five door Dynamic has lost a third of its value in fifteen months thanks to the mileage.

Drives around the Baltic, to Gibraltar, Ukraine and side trips to Brussels and Paris – plus weekly schleps up and down the M1 – have seen nearly 42,000 miles slide under the wheels since we took delivery in March 2014.

We might have to sell it to prevent a truly catastrophic loss in value as it ticks past 50,000 miles.

The next owner is going to think the odometer has been fiddled upwards.

None of that is the tyres’ fault though. Overall we are very pleased with our set of All-Seasons. Financially we’ve broken even since they cost the same as the summer equivalents while the initial dip in economy has been compensated by the subsequent rise.

The only slight niggle is the ride. The Evoque is still comfy – a quality not to be underestimated when doing mega miles – it’s just not as overtly pillowy as it was on its initial set of summer tyres.

Recap: we bought All-Season tyres because the M+S (mud and snow) markings make them a legal alternative to the so-called ‘winter tyres’ demanded by many European countries in snow and ice. See more on Winter Tyre Rules.

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Billed as the ‘world’s largest electric vehicle rally’ with 90 vehicles – though last month’s eTour claimed to have 1,000 vehicles – last week’s WAVE Tour included Stelvio (above), Bernina and Fluela Passes on its way from east Germany to the Alps. Photo WAVE Trophy. See these roads on PassFinder.

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SWITZERLAND. It might not look like it from the webcam, but work to clear the rock fall which shut the north section of the H2 Gotthard Tunnel in the Schoellenen Gorge last month is nearly finished. The road reopens at 16:00 on Friday according to TCS. This stretch is a long term construction site, until 2019, with alternate traffic but work will be suspended through July and August to allow better access to the pass during the busiest times at the Gotthard Tunnel. POLAND. Monday 8 June was the first day no-one was killed on Polish roads reports NewPolandExpress.pl. ‘I don’t remember a day like it,’ says the former head of Warsaw’s traffic directorate. The average is nine deaths per day. The authorities put the clear day down to new stricter rules. Reportedly, any driver caught at more than 50kmh in a built-up zone loses their licence (? caught at more than 50kmh over the limit, Ed.) The authorities have a target to cut road deaths from 3200 to 2000 over the next five years. Numbers fell by 3% last year and by 17% since 2010. BELGIUM. It emerged last month that the number of foreign drivers fined for traffic violations jumped 49% last year to 299,017 according to LeVif.be (and widely reported elsewhere). The jump has been ascribed to better organisation and more speed cameras. The most common culprits are the Dutch, accounting for nearly 100,000 speeding offences, but 173 British drivers were caught driving under the influence of drugs and 621 French using mobile phones at the wheel. There’s no mention of whether the cross-border prosecution directive introduced in November 2013 played a part.

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