The Port of Dover is gearing up for what is anticipated to be one of its busiest weekends as the summer holiday season kicks off, posing potential challenges for travelers due to new European Union border procedures. With schools in England and Wales beginning their summer breaks, a surge of vehicles is expected at the port. Concerns are mounting that these new procedures could extend waiting times for those heading to the continent.
Under the EU’s Entry/Exit System (EES), French border officials will manually register non-EU travelers because automated processing facilities are not yet operational due to technical delays. Although this phase does not involve collecting biometric data such as fingerprints and photographs, the manual registration process is expected to slow down processing times and potentially cause congestion at the port.
In addition to the situation at Dover, motoring organizations have issued warnings about heavy traffic on major roads across the UK. This is particularly true around London and on routes leading to the southwest, as millions embark on summer leisure trips. Many travelers are choosing to stay within the UK for their holidays this year, attributing their decision to the favorable weather, concerns over flight disruptions, and rising travel costs.
Travelers planning to use the Port of Dover have been advised to stick to designated routes and to arrive no earlier than two hours before their scheduled ferry departure to help manage traffic flow. Meanwhile, airport operators and airlines are also cautioning passengers to brace for potential delays as the peak holiday travel period begins in earnest.