Britain's summer getaway is expected to be the busiest in four years, with an estimated 10,000 cars set to queue at the Port of Dover due to delays in France implementing new European Union border checks. This surge in traffic coincides with the start of summer holidays for many schools across England and Wales.
Approximately 3.4 million motorists are anticipated to travel on Saturday, making it the most congested getaway day since 2022. The Port of Dover has warned of potential delays, with 40-minute waits already confirmed in its Buffer Zone. On Friday, over three million vehicles were on the roads, and the Port saw around 7,500 cars with wait times reaching 45 minutes.
The RAC estimates that 14.1 million motorists will make trips between Friday and Sunday, the second-highest number recorded since 2016. The increased travel volume is occurring as airports and ports within the EU anticipate longer processing times due to the new Entry-Exit System (EES). This system, implemented in April, requires non-EU passengers to provide biometric data such as fingerprints and photographs for entry into the Schengen Area.
EES System and Dover Port Challenges
The Port of Dover had prepared for the EES by installing 84 kiosks at its Western Docks Facility, intended to facilitate biometric registrations for British travelers. However, French authorities have not activated these kiosks, and no date has been set for their operation. Doug Bannister, chief executive of the Port of Dover, expressed disappointment, stating that the port has invested £40 million in the facility but cannot utilize it for EES processing. He noted that uncertainties remain regarding the EES's impact on travel.
Travelers heading to the Port of Dover have been advised to arrive no more than two hours before their scheduled sailing time. British Secretary of State for Transport, Heidi Alexander, has met with her French counterpart, Philippe Tabarot, to advocate for a pragmatic approach to the EES implementation. Alexander has urged EU officials to be flexible and consider extending measures that allow for the suspension of new rules during periods of high traffic, especially as current provisions expire in September.
"We are doing everything in our power to keep holidaymakers and hauliers moving," Alexander stated. The UK government is also investing over £20 million to improve traffic flow and increase passport booth capacity at Dover to help mitigate delays.