It was decided by the car manufacturer following the closure of the borders between the two countries.

Toyota has ceased production in the UK and France plants as of today. The borders between the two countries have been closed since a new, more contagious variety emerged in the UK.

The Japanese car manufacturer has decided to close the factories in the UK and France two days earlier. Normally the factories close just before Christmas and open again at the beginning of January. The car manufacturer builds the Toyota Corolla in Burnaston, England. The compact Yaris of Toyota is produced in Valenciennes, France. During the first lockdown earlier this year, Toyota also had to shut down its factories in France and the UK.

The closing of borders with the UK has led to long traffic jams and delays in recent days. The extent to which this also affects the production of other car manufacturers and the supply of spare parts is currently unknown. The European Commission is today recommending reopening the borders for freight traffic. In the Commission’s view, it is crucial to exempt transport workers from all restrictive measures to ensure that supply chains remain intact.