The Port of Dover is bracing for a surge in traffic as one of the busiest weekends of the year approaches, marking the start of the summer holiday season. This spike coincides with new European Union border procedures that could potentially lead to extended waiting times for travelers heading to the continent. As schools in England and Wales begin their summer break, thousands of vehicles are anticipated to pass through the port.
The introduction of the EU’s Entry/Exit System (EES) will have French border officials manually registering non-EU travelers, a process that replaces the expected automated facilities stalled due to technical issues. While biometric data collection, such as fingerprints and photographs, will not occur in this phase, the reliance on manual registration is likely to slow processing times and may result in congestion at Dover.
Amid these developments, motoring organizations have issued warnings about potential heavy traffic on major roads throughout the UK. The concerns are particularly acute around London and routes leading to the southwest, as millions embark on summer leisure trips. Many are opting for domestic holidays, influenced by favorable weather conditions, worries over flight disruptions, and escalating travel costs.
The Port of Dover has urged travelers to follow designated routes and to time their arrival to no more than two hours before their scheduled ferry departure to help manage the expected congestion. Similarly, airports and airlines have alerted passengers to the possibility of delays as the peak holiday travel season begins.