As the summer holiday period kicks off, the Port of Dover is bracing for a surge in traffic, anticipating one of the busiest weekends of the year. With schools across England and Wales commencing their summer breaks, thousands of vehicles are expected to transit through Dover, headed towards the continent. However, there is concern that recently implemented European Union border procedures might cause extended waiting times for travelers.
The EU’s new Entry/Exit System (EES) requires French border officials to manually register travelers from non-EU countries. This process has become necessary due to delays in the deployment of automated processing facilities, which encountered technical difficulties. Although biometric data collection, such as fingerprints and photographs, is not yet part of this process, the manual registrations could slow down processing times and potentially lead to congestion at the port.
In addition to congestion at ports, motoring organizations have alerted travelers to expect heavy traffic on key roads across the UK. Major routes, particularly those around London and leading to the southwest, are likely to see increased traffic as millions embark on summer trips. Many holidaymakers are choosing to stay within the UK, motivated by favorable weather forecasts, apprehensions about flight disruptions, and the rising costs of international travel.
The Port of Dover has issued guidance for travelers, recommending they stick to designated routes and avoid arriving more than two hours before their ferry’s departure time. Meanwhile, airports and airlines are also cautioning passengers to anticipate possible delays, as they too gear up for the peak holiday travel season.