Brexit and a decline in new car sales saw truck traffic using the Eurotunnel experience a dip in 2019, according to the latest traffic figures.

Getlink, the parent company of Eurotunnel, says 1.6million trucks crossed with Le Shuttle Freight last year - a drop of 6% compared to 2018.

The year ended with 121,939 trucks using the cross-Channel service a 7% drop on December 2018.

Getlink blamed "the French Customs officers’ strike, the uncertainties linked to Brexit and the decline in the automobile market" for the decline.

Passenger traffic was also down year-on-year but by just 2%, with more than 2.6m passenger vehicles making the crossing.

The group’s revenues for 2019 will be published next Thursday.

Yesterday the firm reported a record number of pets used the crossing earlier this month.

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