British tourists face the risk of death in lengthy queues in Kent due to the European Union's new post-Brexit border controls, according to Conservative Member of Parliament Sir Roger Gale.
Sir Roger Gale, MP for Herne Bay & Sandwich, warned that traffic backlogs could prevent ambulances from reaching emergency medical situations, leaving travelers stranded in their vehicles. The UK government has announced the deployment of additional French guards at border points in an effort to mitigate delays stemming from the EU's entry and exit system (EES), which became fully operational in April.
These controls require non-EU citizens to provide biometric details, including facial photographs and fingerprints, before entering the Schengen zone. While typically processed after landing for air travel, these checks occur on the UK side of the Channel for ferries at Dover and Folkestone, potentially leading to extensive car queues in Kent.
Doug Bannister, chief executive of the Port of Dover, had previously forecast significant congestion over the summer, anticipating approximately 12,000 vehicles daily. Sir Roger echoed these concerns, stating that passengers could potentially die in such prolonged queues.
"If you have elderly people, children and dogs in 12-hour queues with no lavatory facilities, inadequate water supplies, somebody will die, somebody will have a heart attack. I'm not overbegging it. This is the stark reality," Sir Roger told The Times.
He further commented that the promised extra officers were "not adequate" and questioned the feasibility of emergency services navigating such traffic jams. Sir Roger urged for the system's implementation to be suspended until the technology is refined and fully functional.
Fears are mounting that queues could exceed five hours at some border points during the peak summer season as passenger numbers surge. This system has already caused disruptions, including an incident in April where around 100 passengers returning to Manchester from Milan's Linate airport were stranded in Italy after a three-hour queue caused them to miss their flight.
Previous attempts by Greece, Portugal, and Italy to exempt Britons from the EES system this summer have been rejected by Brussels. During the May bank holiday, French police temporarily suspended intensified checks at Dover after queues reached four and a half hours.
Traffic modeling initially suggested potential delays of up to 12 hours in worst-case scenarios, though this estimate was later revised to between six and eight hours. In preparation for potential major disruptions, the Department for Transport plans to utilize Lydden Hill Race Circuit, located about ten miles from the Port of Dover, as a holding area for traffic. Additional traffic marshals are also being mobilized.
Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander stated that the government is committed to facilitating the movement of holidaymakers and hauliers and expressed gratitude for the French authorities' collaboration in minimizing disruption.