Foreign lorry drivers coming into Kent with coronavirus symptoms may need to be put up in hotels by the council.

Kent County Council (KCC) public health bosses have today said that motorists coming into the UK may need to find a place to stay to self-isolate or receive a Covid test if they present themselves with traits of the virus.

The revelation comes despite the fiasco around coronavirus testing as some residents in the county have been told to travel hundreds of miles to Scotland.

KCC's public health director Allison Duggal said Covid remains the "most significant" public health concern amid Britain's departure from the European Union (EU) in December. She added testing capacity is a "big issue".

Speaking to County Hall's 10-person cabinet during a virtual public meeting earlier today, Ms Duggal told them: "I know we need to be thinking about EU exit.

"But we also need to think about periods of cold this winter and how that affects driver welfare.

"We need to make sure we know what to do if we have a driver that became symptomatic and needed to get a test and may even need to have accommodation."

After the meeting, KCC said they will need to consider Covid secure arrangements for foreign lorry drivers but these are still to be decided.

Maidstone County Hall currently holds responsibility for welfare plans for drivers who are stuck in long queues of more than 11 hours on the motorway, which include provision of water and food.

However, these are primarily for passengers and tourist vehicles who rather than lorry drivers who tend to be "self sufficient", according to KCC.

Custom checks on goods coming into the UK will start from July 1 while export checks will take place from January, unless a deal can be reached with the EU, the KCC cabinet was told.

KCC's transport director Barbara Cooper says that local emergency planners, the Kent Resilience Forum, had submitted a bit for an "ambitious" government grant of £1.6million for more resources.

This would include the creation of a county-wide communications and contact centre, according to Ms Cooper.

'We also need to think about periods of cold this winter and how that affects driver welfare...'

KCC has been told by Boris Johnson's government that a "smart freight" app will be put in place by January 1.

This is seen as vital for preventing delays after the Brexit transition next year and reduce road disruption in the county.

KCC opposition leader Cllr Dara Farrell (Lab) said he was not confident about Whitehall's proposal, "given the government's track record with the test and trace app".

Several lorry parks are being built across the county, including Ashford's MOJO site near junction 10a of the M20 and a holding area at Manston Airport in Ramsgate while Operation Stack remains a viable option.

Ebbsfleet station's Covid testing site shut announced two weeks ago and will be used as a Brexit customs check point , expected to hold up to 80 lorries a day through an online booking system.

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