Dover traffic delays - live: French MP blames Brexit for chaos as queues form for second day
Busiest travel weekend since 2019 kicks off as school holidays begin
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French politician Pierre-Henri Dumont, Republican MP for Calais, has blamed the UK’s exit from the EU for the travel chaos, as holidaymakers joined lengthy queues in Dover for the second day running.
Mr Henri Dumont told BBC News it was “an aftermath of Brexit” with more checks needed and claiming the Dover port is “too small” with too few kiosks due to lack of space.
However, Tory leadership hopeful Liz Truss blamed the delays on a lack of staffing by the French at the border. The foreign secretary said the delays and queues were “unacceptable” and called on France to act over the “entirely avoidable” delays.
It comes after travellers got stuck in queues for up to six hours in the Port of Dover on Friday at the start of the summer school holidays – which led to the port declaring a “critical incident”.
Jack Cousens, head of roads policy for the AA, said: “As the schools closed their doors fully yesterday, Saturday could prove busier still this weekend.
“Drivers should continue to expect disruption and delays on major holiday routes to the south-west, eastern coast and ports of Dover and Folkestone.
“While many have decided to go at the start of the summer holidays, between now and the beginning of September when schools return, each Friday and Saturday will be busy on our roads because these are the main switchover days for holiday lets.”
Lorry driver queuing in Dover since Thursday evening
Turkish lorry driver Muhammet Turker had been queuing in his HGV in Dover since 6pm on Thursday, and was still waiting to cross the Channel on Friday morning.
He told PA News agency that other lorries kept cutting in front of him in the queue.
He said: “I’ve been in something like this before, but this is the worst.
He added that this chaos was “worse than P&O,” when workers for the ferry company protested against mass lay-offs earlier this year, causing gridlock in Dover.
Mr Turker had been in his lorry since 1.30pm the previous day, having left from Manchester on Thursday afternoon.
Border officers ‘didn’t turn up for the job’ at Dover, says MP
Natalie Elphicke, Conservative MP for Dover, has said of today’s chaos at the port: “It was absolutely always known it was going to be a peak period. There’s been planning that has been underway now for weeks to make sure that everyone was prepared.
“That’s on this side of the Channel, with the port of Dover, and all the relevant Kent authorities, and with the French as well.
“Quite simply what has happened overnight is the number of border officers that were needed to man the passport checks at the port of Dover weren’t there. They didn’t turn up for the job.
“The result has been these incredibly lengthy delays and queues we’ve seen and problems are set to continue.”
Extra staff being sent to man border controls at port of Dover
Extra border officers are en route to the Port of Dover to help speed up five-hour long queues, the MP for Dover has claimed.
Natalie Elphicke said: “The Foreign Office, transport secretary and ministers have been putting pressure on the French to increase the number of officers there.
“My understanding from the Port this morning is officers are en route, they’ve got officers who are coming to man more booths and ensure they are better staffed.
“That staff and capacity has to remain throughout this weekend and also into next weekend which is also expected to be another peak weekend getaway period.
“There are conversations ongoing, they are sending extra staff, but we need to make sure that they are fulling manning those booths throughout this peak period.”
Other Channel crossings are available
The problems faced by motorists seeking to leave Dover are not replicated at other Channel ports – where French border formalities take place at the destination.
Brittany Ferries says it has some availability on services from Portsmouth, Poole and Plymouth this weekend.
Paul Acheson, sales and marketing director for the French ferry firm said: “We feel for all holiday makers struggling with travel through Dover today, as well as our friends and colleagues at ferry companies operating on short-sea routes.
“Our message today is not that we want to profit from misfortune. However, services are running smoothly through our ports and for passengers who are really stuck or if problems persist in Dover this weekend, Brittany Ferries may be in a position to help.”
‘We should not be in this position’: Port of Dover boss blasts French border control
Doug Bannister told Sky News: “We should not be in this position. We have been planning for this day for months.
“We have installed new infrastructure and trained up new people.
“We warned that if we did not have the resources in place by around 4am today, we would be in this position.
“It is highly regrettable.”
‘It will take some time to clear the backlog’: Port of Dover statement
The Port of Dover has released an update saying that traffic is now moving, but that there is a “backlog” that will take some time to clear.
”The Port is working to do all it can with ferry operators and local partners to assist with clearing the queues caused by inadequate French border capacity. Resource at the French border has increased this morning and traffic is slowly beginning to move, but it will take some time to clear the backlog,” reads its statement posted to Twitter.
It advises passengers to arrive at the port with “water, food and supplies” and check with their ferry operator for the latest status of the delays.
“Passengers are also asked to avoid trying back routes to reach the port as that makes the situation worse, particularly for local residents,” it continues.
“Continual high holiday traffic volumes are fully expected, and our freight customers also remain significantly delayed, so we urge French colleagues to adequately resource the border, not just to relieve the current situation, but for the rest of the weekend and indeed the rest of the summer to keep our community clear, to get families on their holidays and to keep essential trade moving.
“The Port urges the UK government to continue working with French counterparts in order to ensure this is the case.”
Queues of four to five hours still reported at Dover
Queues of four to five hours are still being reported at Dover Port.
Key operator P&O Ferries tweeted: “There are currently queues of up to 4/5 hrs to clear the approach roads and border checks in Dover.
“Check in is free flowing. Our next departures are: 14.00 ETD 14.30 and 16.05 and 17.25.
“Rest assured, if you miss your sailing you will be on the next available one.”
M20 closed eastbound between J11 and J12
There are severe delays on the approach to the Port of Dover due a closure of the M20 eastbound between J11 (Westenhanger/Hythe) and J12, and a closure of the A20 eastbound Roundhill Tunnel.
This is due to a “serious collision” earlier, according to National Highways Southeast.
“The westbound carriageway is now OPEN,” it tweeted.
“However severe delays remain in both directions. Access to Eurotunnel remains open from both the M20 and the A20.”
Why Brexit made Dover gridlock inevitable
Pure Brexit took effect at 11pm, British time, on 31 December 2020. So why should the decision to leave the European Union suddenly be afflicting travellers who want to return to the EU, albeit temporarily on holiday?
Because this is the first real peak weekend for cross-Channel travellers from Dover since the Brexit transition phase ended.
Only now are we able to see clearly the results of the choice that we made in the 2016 EU referendum.
As members of the European Union we helped to draw up the rules for “third-country nationals”. In the withdrawal treaty, ministers asked for us to become subject to those rules.
Read The Independent travel correspondent Simon Calder’s full analysis:
Why Brexit made Dover gridlock inevitable
Exclusive: From ‘Amber Plus’ to ‘Critical Incident’: the leavers’ lesson that was bound to happen
Long wait times still reported at Dover while part of M20 remains closed
Passengers travelling to Dover to catch a ferry to France are still being warned of “long wait times”.
Ferry company DFDS tweeted at 3.30pm: “DOVER-FRANCE IMPORTANT: We are expecting long wait times to complete controls, please take this into consideration when travelling to the port, factoring in sufficient breaks for food and water before arriving.”
The issue is being exacerbated by the continuing closure of the M20 eastbound between J11 and J12 after an earlier collision.
“There are long delays on the approach which is adding to the congestion in the area for the ongoing issues at the Port of Dover,” said National Highways. “Access to Eurotunnel remains open from both the M20 and the A20.”
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