The onset of the summer holiday season is bringing one of the busiest weekends of the year to the Port of Dover, with anticipation of increased wait times due to new European Union border rules. As schools in England and Wales close for summer, a surge of travelers is expected to head to continental Europe, potentially facing delays due to updated border procedures.
The EU’s Entry/Exit System (EES) is set to impact the flow of traffic at the port, as French border officials will manually register non-EU travelers because automated systems have been delayed by technical setbacks. While this initial phase will not involve the collection of biometric data such as fingerprints and photographs, the manual process is likely to slow down processing times, creating the risk of traffic congestion at the port.
Beyond the port, motoring organizations are forecasting heavy traffic on key routes across the UK, particularly around London and on roads leading to the southwest. This is due to an expected increase in domestic travel as many choose to stay within the UK for their holidays. Favorable weather forecasts, concerns about flight disruptions, and rising travel costs are prompting more people to opt for vacations closer to home.
To manage the expected surge, the Port of Dover has advised travelers to stick to designated routes and not to arrive at the port more than two hours before their scheduled ferry departure. Meanwhile, airport operators and airlines are also cautioning passengers to brace for possible delays as the peak summer travel season gets underway.