Dover Warns of Half Term Delays as New EU Border System Bites

BBC Business reported Wednesday that Dover port is urging cross-Channel ferry passengers to brace for significant delays this half term. The warning arrives during the first major holiday period since the EU Entry Exit System was fully implemented across Schengen-area borders.

What Is Slowing Down the Border

The EU Entry Exit System officially went live across all Schengen external borders on 10 April. Under the new framework, tourists entering EU countries must have their fingerprints and photographs logged in a central database. At Dover, however, French border officials have yet to activate the biometric scanning machines. Officials are still building traveller profiles manually at their booths. That partial process is adding time to every crossing. Passengers who miss a sailing because of resulting delays can board the next available ferry.

Scale of the Half Term Rush

Some 18,000 cars are expected at Dover between Friday and Sunday alone. Saturday is projected to be the single busiest day. Friday is expected to bring around 400 coaches to the port. As a contingency, authorities have made the nearby Lydden Hill racing circuit available as a vehicle holding area. The measure is designed to prevent severe tailbacks from spilling into Dover’s town roads. Regulators retain the authority to suspend EES processing entirely if delays become critical.

Background: A System Still Finding Its Feet

The EES rollout has faced persistent difficulties across multiple European entry points. Earlier this spring, roughly 100 passengers were stranded in Milan after their Manchester flight departed without them following border delays. Easyjet CEO Kenton Jarvis told the BBC this week that EES-related disruption had been “unacceptable,” though he noted some improvement. He called on EU member states to revert to manual passport stamping where congestion remains severe. Eurotunnel’s Folkestone terminal faces an identical situation to Dover, with biometric machines dormant and manual profile creation underway. Greece has separately announced that British visitors will not face biometric checks at all this summer.

What Travelers Should Do Now

Dover port has issued clear guidance for passengers. Travelers should use only main roads approaching the port. Arriving more than two hours before a scheduled sailing is discouraged. Documents should be kept immediately accessible. The port also recommends bringing water, snacks and entertainment for children and ensuring pets are rested before arrival. The RAC estimates that close to 19 million getaway trips will be made across UK roads over the bank holiday weekend, making it the busiest late-May period in two years.

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