Work has started on the construction of a 1.5 km fence to stop migrants eager to get to the UK from crossing the E40 motorway. The fence is being built along motorway car parks at Westkerke and Mannekensvere. Construction on the high fence will be finished by the end of November.
The Flemish Roads and Traffic Agency is carrying out the work intended to prevent migrants from crossing the motorway with the intention of climbing into trucks. Migrants have been causing problems at the car parks for some time where they try to get into trucks in order to hitch a ride to the UK.
"In the past, we carried out similar smaller interventions including the construction of a fence around the car park and installation of cameras. The fence on the central reservation is intended to prevent migrants from crossing the motorway in future. The works start in Westkerke today and will last until the end of October. Then we will start in Mannekensvere, where work will be completed by the end of November," says Dirk Vanhuysse of Roads and Traffic Agency.
During the works, the fast lane will be closed in both directions.