Critical incident at Dover due to ‘woefully inadequate’ French border control
A critical incident has been declared at the Port of Dover with bosses claiming they have been ‘let down’ by border controls.
Huge queues of up to four hours have halted journey plans this morning, which comes on the day many children in England break up for school holidays.
Travel experts say ‘the start of the great getaway has been ruined’
In a statement this morning, Port of Dover bosses said: ‘We are deeply frustrated that the resource at the French border overnight and early this morning has been woefully inadequate to meet our predicted demand and even more deeply regret the consequences that will now be felt by so many.’
Due to the ‘new world of post-Brexit and Covid checks’ port authorities said they had taken extra measures to prepare for the start of the school holidays.
Drivers have taken to social media to vent their frustration at standstill traffic and lengthy tailbacks.
One driver tweeted: ‘A20 complete standstill. 3 hours now and still at St James shopping area. Utterly atrocious.’
Others have added ‘Brexit is the gift that keeps giving.’
Ferry companies are currently scrambling to reschedule passengers on later services due to the delay.
One customer wrote: ‘I’m booked onto 8am ferry from Dover and it’s total gridlock. Moved 50 metres per hour.
‘At this rate it’ll be 34 hours before I get to the port! I have a screaming toddler and 3 month old.’
The Port of Dover statement added: ‘We know that resource is finite, but the popularity of Dover is not a surprise.
‘We will continue to work with all Kent partners to look after those caught up in the current situation, which could and should have been avoided, and play our part in resolving it as soon as possible.’
Travel experts have spoken of the impact of extra passport checks following Brexit.
Simon Calder, The Independent’s travel correspondent, told Sky News: ‘Since Brexit, everybody has to have their passport, not just looked at, but properly stamped.
‘That’s something that we insisted on when we left the EU. That takes far longer than the previous checks when people typically just waved their passport at the guards and they were waved through.’
He added: ‘The start of the great getaway has been ruined.’
Natalie Elphicke, Conservative MP for Dover & Deal, took to Twitter this morning to vent her own frustrations.
She has been working to ease disruption for local residents who are caught up in the traffic alongside those trying to reach the Port of Dover.
She wrote: ‘This is not the start to a Summer break that anyone would have wanted to see with families and lorries stuck for hours in traffic trying to get on a ferry at Dover.
‘I am doing everything I can to see the situation is improved. More needs to be done to Keep Dover Clear.’
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