Port of Dover Prepares for Summer Travel Amid EU Border Check Concerns

The Port of Dover has implemented extensive preparations to mitigate potential travel disruptions during the summer getaway, despite concerns over new European Union border checks. Doug Bannister, the port's chief executive, stated that his team has done "absolutely everything" to prepare.

Bannister voiced his disappointment that a new £40 million Entry Exit System (EES) processing facility, built to handle increased volumes, is not yet operational for cars. The EES, which fully rolled out in April, requires passengers to have their fingerprints and photographs taken to enter the Schengen Area. For most UK travelers, this process occurs at foreign airports, but it is also conducted at ports like Dover, the Eurotunnel's Folkestone terminal, and London St Pancras, which feature juxtaposed border controls.

The port experienced a "critical incident" during the May half-term holiday when waiting times reached four-and-a-half hours on a day with approximately 8,500 outbound vehicles. Bannister recently informed Members of Parliament that the port anticipates "repeated episodes of severe congestion" this summer unless the EU allows for greater flexibility in the EES implementation, a change that has not yet occurred.

With schools in England and Wales concluding their academic year in late July and early August, traffic volumes are expected to surge. The Port of Dover anticipates around 7,500 outbound cars on Friday, increasing to nearly 10,000 on Saturday. The following weekend, July 24 and 25, is projected to be even busier, with an estimated 10,500 outbound cars each day. It was initially hoped that the new Western Docks facility, equipped with 84 kiosks for biometric data collection, would facilitate EES registrations for many travelers. However, French authorities have not yet activated these kiosks, and no timeline has been provided for their operational launch.