Massive delays stall England-to-France vehicle traffic

After complaints that just one French officer was available to check in coaches on Friday night into Saturday, port authorities said six booths – four for cars, one for coaches and one for freight traffic – were manned overnight into Sunday.

It is hard to imagine a more miserable start to the summer getaway – tens of thousands of holidaymakers languishing in traffic jams snaking across Kent yesterday as extra security checks were introduced at Dover following terror attacks in Europe.

During the disruption, large tailbacks formed on the A20 and the A2 and there was further waits inside the port itself.

However, the force warned travellers would continue to face delays “over the next few weeks”.

She said that the ferry company had done everything it could to keep passengers moving on the English Channel, including providing extra sailings and staff.

“I know there have been discussions between our government and the French government to make sure that we try and ease the situation as much as we possibly can”.

Police blamed the jams on delays to French border checks at the port in light of recent terror attacks coupled with a “vast volume of holiday traffic”.

A FERRY company has urged United Kingdom and French authorities to ensure there is no repeat of the huge delays at Dover.

Xavier Bertrand, president of the Calais area regional council, condemned the queues as “unacceptable” but said they underlined how Brexit would have “consequences”.

Shadow home secretary Andy Burnham said: “The government needs to get on the phone to the French authorities and get a grip on this outrageous situation”. I am so sorry for the British passengers starting their holiday with so long a wait because of controls.

French officials have expanded border checks during the state of emergency declared after repeated extremist attacks on civilians, and the increased security has led to the lines of stalled cars and trucks on the roads leading to Dover.

“I sympathise with everyone who has been affected by delays at the Port of Dover, and have been working with colleagues across Government to do all we can to support the French border authorities to speed up their security checks”.

At the weekend drivers were waiting for up to 14 hours in Kent, as additional French security checks were made at the port.

Charlie Elphickle Conservative MP for Dover and Deal called on the Home Office to apologise.

Port of Dover authorities also raised concerns that the French border control stations were severely understaffed overnight, compounding the gridlock.