The Port of Dover is bracing itself for a chaotic summer weekend, with thousands of holidaymakers converging on the UK's main Channel ferry crossing. The timing couldn't be worse – new EU border controls are being implemented just as the peak summer travel season begins, threatening to bring Britain's roads to a standstill.
French border police will manually register non-EU travellers for the Entry-Exit System (EES) at Dover, while a new £40 million automated facility remains out of action due to software problems in France. Although biometric registration won't be carried out, the extra time needed to create a file for each visitor is expected to cause significant delays.
The port anticipates approximately 7,500 cars will travel to France on Friday, rising to 10,000 on Saturday. Meanwhile, British domestic holidays are experiencing their highest levels since the COVID-19 pandemic halted international travel – with over 14 million drivers set to make a getaway this weekend.
Motoring organisations predict the worst traffic will occur on Friday, particularly on sections of the M25 around Greater London connecting to the M3 towards the southwest. The surge in UK staycations is partly attributed to recent heatwaves, concerns over flight cancellations, and higher airfares – with Harriet Hernando from the RAC noting that many are opting to stay in the UK due to increased confidence in the weather and worries about EU border delays.
However, she warned that the June heatwave led to a spike in vehicle breakdowns, urging drivers to prepare for potential delays and hot weather conditions during what the RAC has termed a "Saturday summer scramble."
Eurotunnel, which operates LeShuttle through the Channel Tunnel, claims it does not anticipate delays as summer traffic builds. Similar to Dover, border police will not be registering biometric information for EES from its car passengers this summer – despite millions invested in automated processing kiosks that remain out of action.
For those flying abroad, London Heathrow Airport expects this weekend to mark the start of its peak summer season, with Friday likely to be its busiest day. Passengers flying into the 29 Schengen EU countries will undergo EES formalities upon landing and departure at the airport.
Ryanair has reiterated its warning that UK passengers could become "the testing ground for unfinished border infrastructure," advising customers to prepare for potentially long queues – particularly at popular holiday airports such as Lisbon, Tenerife South, Alicante, Malaga, and Milan Bergamo.