Holidaymakers face further disruption at the Port of Dover after six-hour queues triggered a critical incident, with the port blaming “woefully inadequate” French border control staffing. The port has apologised to travellers, but its chief executive, Doug Bannister, warned that problems could continue into Saturday and urged the government to work with Paris to clear the backlog.
The chaos came on one of the busiest travel days of the year, as schools in England and Wales broke up for the summer. Bannister said the port had been “badly let down” by French border controls that were “insufficiently resourced”, despite advance warning of high traffic volumes. French police cited an “unexpected technical incident” in the Channel tunnel, which delayed officers by more than an hour, but tunnel operator Getlink said a signal cable fault was not to blame, noting that the critical incident was declared earlier.
With gridlock spreading through the port town, passengers were advised to carry water, snacks and supplies, and to check with ferry operators. P&O Ferries told customers to allow at least six hours to clear security, while rival DFDS advised four hours for check-in and border control. One traveller, John Till, decided to spend £400 on alternative travel via Poole to avoid the queues, saying there was “no way” he would let his 87-year-old mother down.
The disruption is the latest in a series of traffic problems in Kent this year, following similar queues around Easter when the M20 was used to park lorries heading for France. The port has previously pointed to longer processing times since Brexit, including passport and paperwork checks. Meanwhile, the AA has warned of a “bumper-to-bumper summer” on roads, with train strikes and airport delays adding to holidaymakers’ woes.
