As the summer holiday period kicks off, the Port of Dover is bracing for one of its busiest weekends, with a surge of travelers expected to head to Europe. This comes amid concerns that new European Union border procedures could lead to extended wait times. Schools across England and Wales are breaking for summer, prompting thousands of vehicles to pass through Dover, a critical gateway to the continent.
In light of technical delays with automated processing facilities, French border officials will manually register non-EU travelers according to the EU’s Entry/Exit System (EES). Though this phase will not involve collecting biometric data such as fingerprints and photographs, the manual process is anticipated to slow down processing times and may cause congestion at the port.
Travel advisers have also predicted significant traffic on major roads throughout the UK. Routes around London and those leading to the southwest are expected to be particularly congested as millions embark on summer trips. Many are opting for holidays within the UK, driven by favorable weather, concerns about flight disruptions, and increasing travel expenses.
The Port of Dover has issued guidance for passengers, recommending they stick to designated routes and arrive no more than two hours prior to their ferry’s departure time. Similarly, airport operators and airlines have warned travelers to brace for possible delays as the summer travel peak approaches.