Bank holiday travellers faced chaos at the Port of Dover on Friday and Saturday, with some drivers enduring waits of nearly five hours for ferries amid sweltering temperatures. Thousands of cars were stuck in massive queues as holidaymakers attempted to cross to mainland Europe on one of the hottest days of the year so far.
Delays and Suspension of EU Border Checks
The port issued a warning to travellers, and new EU border checks under the Entry/Exit System (EES) were suspended to help alleviate congestion. Motorists heading to the Eurotunnel for LeShuttle in Folkestone reported delays of over an hour for check-in. On Saturday morning, drivers faced up to two hours to reach the port, followed by an additional two-and-a-half-hour wait for immigration processing before boarding ferries.
The port stated: "We recognise that the border process is slower with the current EES system, and this May Half Term is the first peak period since its introduction. French border teams are doing their best within the parameters given and are working with the highest available resources." It urged travellers to stick to main routes to avoid causing extra delays for the local community.
Measures to Ease Congestion
In a bid to reduce queues, French authorities suspended extra EU border checks under the EES. The port also announced that passengers who missed their ferry due to queues could travel on the next available slot free of charge. By Saturday afternoon, processing times had dropped to 50 minutes, though queues remained in the check-in plaza and approach lanes. Over 8,000 travellers were expected at the port on Saturday.
Heatwave and Health Alerts
The travel disruption coincided with a heatwave that threatened to break temperature records, with parts of the UK possibly hotter than the Seychelles. The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) issued amber heat health alerts for several regions, including London, the South East, and the Midlands, warning of a rise in deaths among vulnerable groups and increased demand on health services. Yellow alerts were issued for northern England and the South West.
Friday saw the hottest day of the year so far, with temperatures reaching 28.4°C in Heathrow, Cambridge, and Cranwell. Saturday was expected to see highs of 30°C, surpassing popular holiday destinations like Split in Croatia and Victoria in the Seychelles.
