Dover warns of Channel ferry delays this summer due to Olympics
Port will be ‘exceptionally busy’ with tens of thousands of extra passengers travelling to the Games at a time when work for new border controls reduces space available
The influx of visitors for the Paris Olympics is partly behind the increased wait times expected at Dover this summer
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Delays on Channel ferry services to France are widely expected this summer due to a surge in the number of travellers visiting the country to watch the Olympic Games.
This will particularly affect the Port of Dover, which is set to be “exceptionally busy,” the port’s manager Doug Bannister has said.
A double whammy of increased passengers going to France for the Olympic Games – up to 30% more than usual are set to travel through Dover for this purpose – and a reduction of available space for vehicles due to renovation work could lead to processing times of two hours longer than usual at peak travel times.
Peak hours are from Friday morning to Sunday evening, particularly in the morning hours (from 06:00 to 13:00), said Mr Bannister.
The renovation works are being made to configure the port for the introduction of the new Entry/Exit System (EES), the EU’s digital border controls, the launch of which is now reported to be in November.
Read more: New EU biometric border controls reported to be delayed again
Half a million additional trips this summer
Some 500,000 people are expected to be travelling between the UK and France this summer to attend the Paris Olympics, British Ambassador to France Menna Rawlings recently told The Connexion.
The Port of Dover has released advice to help passengers and attempt to minimise delays. Tips include:
Plan for delays and make sure you arrive at the port with plenty of time. Any passengers unable to cross due to congestion will be placed on the next available sailing at no extra cost.
Travel to the ferry terminal via the recommended main routes as smaller roads may be more congested
Ensure you have supplies (cool drinks, snacks) in your car, and if you have children, games and other things to do to keep them entertained
Make sure your passports are ready and open on the correct pages before you reach border condor, reducing the length of time checks take
For its part, the port has increased the number of border control posts for tourist vehicles, as well as introduced a new freight permit system, which should allow more resources to be allocated to border checks.
