Travellers have been alerted to anticipate substantial lines at Dover this weekend as the port and ferry companies gear up for the largest summer exodus since the enforcement of post-Brexit border inspections.
The UK’s most trafficked port announced on Monday that passengers should prepare for delays of up to two and a half hours at French border controls during the busiest morning hours over the next few weekends, coinciding with the start of school summer holidays.
The port in Kent forecasts average delays of around 90 minutes on other busy days this summer.
Doug Bannister, CEO of Dover Port, mentioned that the surge in travel demand through the port this summer would strain the border infrastructure due to the introduction of new passport verifications in France in 2021, post the Brexit transition period.
The average car now spends between 60 and 90 seconds to clear the border checks that take place on UK territory, a significant increase from the 30 to 60 seconds prior to the enactment of the Brexit deal between the EU and the UK.
Bannister affirmed that the port has incorporated various new procedures in anticipation of the summer rush, including additional French border posts and a novel coach processing facility. He also acknowledged the French authorities’ robust commitment to adequate staffing during peak times.
The port is getting ready for a surge of around 10,500 cars on Saturday, its busiest day since 2019.
Bannister expressed confidence in their preparations stating, “We are optimizing whatever we can do within a limited space.”
The RAC, a motoring group, predicted on Tuesday that there would be 12.6 million car trips this weekend in the UK, surpassing the equivalent period in 2019.
New passport checks at the EU border have created considerable issues for UK ports and train stations hosting French border posts. Eurostar reported earlier this year that it had been operating some trains with less than two-thirds capacity to prevent congestion at London St Pancras, its UK hub.
The Port of Dover is also striving to avoid a reoccurrence of the disordered situations in April this year when some coach passengers faced waits of up to 14 hours due to passport verifications.
However, Bannister compared the projected lines at the port to the duration people usually spend transiting through airports, highlighting: “Typical airport waiting times are three to four hours. Here we’re looking at two and a half hours at peak times. It’s worth keeping that in perspective.”
He noted that cross-Channel ferries have generally experienced fewer interruptions than airports, which have grappled with numerous delays and cancellations throughout the previous year.
“Ferries have proven to be a reliable option for travellers,” he stated.
In related news, Eurostar declared the implementation of a facial-verification system for certain passengers departing from St Pancras on Tuesday.
The company indicated that the system would expedite the check-in process and UK border formalities for business-class travellers and loyalty card holders by validating their tickets and UK exit procedures prior to their arrival at the station.
The system, however, will not extend to the French border, which has been a common cause of long lines at the station.
