As the summer holiday season kicks off, the Port of Dover is bracing for what is expected to be one of its busiest weekends of the year. With schools across England and Wales breaking up for the holidays, thousands of vehicles are anticipated to pass through the port, raising concerns about potential delays due to new European Union border procedures. The EU’s Entry/Exit System (EES) will see French border officials manually register non-EU travelers, as technical issues have delayed the implementation of automated processing facilities.
This manual registration process, although not collecting biometric data such as fingerprints and photographs at this stage, is predicted to increase processing times. Consequently, congestion at the port could become a significant issue for travelers heading to the continent. Motorists have been warned by motoring organizations to expect heavy traffic on major roads across the UK, particularly around London and routes leading to the southwest, as millions embark on summer leisure trips.
In addition to international travel, many people are opting for domestic holidays. Factors influencing this trend include favorable weather conditions, concerns over potential flight disruptions, and the increasing costs associated with international travel. As a result, roads are anticipated to experience high volumes of traffic as travelers make their way to various holiday destinations within the country.
The Port of Dover has issued advice for passengers to stick to designated routes and to arrive no earlier than two hours before their scheduled ferry departure to help manage the flow of traffic and minimize delays. Similarly, airport operators and airlines have advised travelers to be prepared for possible delays as the peak holiday travel period gets underway.