Port of Dover works to avoid summer travel chaos
Summary
The Port of Dover has prepared extensively for summer travel but faces likely delays because a new EU border system is not yet fully operational. A £40 million facility designed to process biometric checks on travelers is ready but not in use, causing concerns about long waits for drivers crossing to the EU.Key Facts
- The Port of Dover invested £40 million in a new Entry Exit System (EES) facility to speed up EU border checks.
- EES requires travelers to register fingerprints and have their photo taken when entering the Schengen Area.
- The new facility has 84 kiosks to record biometric data but is not yet activated by French authorities.
- Long delays of up to four and a half hours occurred during the May half-term holiday at Dover.
- The port expects up to 10,500 outbound cars on busy summer days in July.
- Dover’s chief executive said the port has done everything possible but depends on EU cooperation to operate the system smoothly.
- The UK government recently allocated £20 million more funding to improve transport infrastructure in Kent to help reduce delays.
- Travelers are advised to use main roads and arrive no more than two hours before their ferry departure.
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