Port of Dover gridlock could worsen over weekend

22 July 2022

Updated 5 minutes ago

Queues of cars are growing at the Port of Dover as officials warn that delays for people travelling to France over the weekend are likely to increase.

At 07:00 BST on Saturday, motorists were taking two hours to travel the last mile of the route and another few hours to get through French passport control before boarding.

Authorities in Kent have declared a major incident due to the traffic.

BBC’s Simon Jones said 3,000 lorries were currently parked on the M20.

On Friday, people trying to get away after schools broke up for the summer holidays were held up in six-hour queues, as routes to the ferry terminal were in gridlock.

The port’s chief executive said travellers can expect another “very busy day” at Dover.

Some 10,000 cars are expected to be processed going out of the port on Saturday, up 1,500 on Friday’s figure, Doug Bannister said.

Asked if there could be five to six-hour delays for people at the port again on Saturday, Mr Bannister told the BBC Radio 4 Today programme: “It could be. We were expecting that today was going to be a busier day than yesterday.”

Delays are also being reported by travellers heading for the Eurotunnel in Folkestone, with traffic crawling on approaching routes.

The Kent Resilience Forum, which brings together local councils and the emergency services, has also said Saturday will be very busy.

P&O Ferries told travellers in a tweet to allow at least three to four hours to clear all security checks.

Jack Cousens, AA roads policy chief, said drivers should continue to expect disruption and delays on major holiday routes to the south-west, eastern coast and ports of Dover and Folkestone.

He said: “While many have decided to go at the start of the summer holidays, between now and the beginning of September when schools return, each Friday and Saturday will be busy on our roads.”

Image caption,

Families face two-hour waits at the check-in at the Port of Dover

On Friday evening, traffic queues four miles long had formed on the eastbound M2.

The Port of Dover and the UK government blamed the delays on France, saying they did not have enough border staff.

Seven hours to get on a boat

Image caption,

The family made it to the Belgium border on Friday evening

Brothers Ben and Eric Janousek set off from Tunbridge Wells in Kent at about 05:00 BST on Friday – but told the BBC it took “seven or eight hours to get on a boat” at the Port of Dover.

Ben says they had “very little information” about delays to their trip and relied on BBC News and Twitter to find out what was happening.

It has been “pretty gruelling” and they’re “pretty tired now” but he says they are pleased to have made it to France.

The family – who are driving their children for an annual trip to the Czech Republic – are now close to the Belgium border and Ben says they’re planning to “enjoy the rest of their trip”.

Another family said they moved about a mile and a half in over four hours:

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Video caption,

Watch: ‘We arrived in Dover at 7.30 and been in traffic since’

‘Entirely avoidable’

Foreign Secretary Liz Truss said the delays were “unacceptable” and the situation was “entirely avoidable”.

She said: “We need action from France to build up capacity at the border to limit any further disruption for British tourists.”

But Pierre-Henri Dumont, Republican MP for Calais, said problems at the port would reoccur “because of Brexit”.

He told the BBC: “This is an aftermath of Brexit. We have to run more checks than before.”

Mr Dumont also said the Port of Dover was “too small” and there were too few kiosks due to lack of space.

Ferry operator P&O Ferries advised passengers to arrive prepared with snacks and water, warning of heavy traffic at border control.

Earlier, people were urged to allow at least six hours to clear security checks.

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