Dover queues – live: Roads ‘extremely busy’ as passengers urged to bring supplies
High volume of traffic builds at port entrance
Your support helps us to tell the story
My recent work focusing on Latino voters in Arizona has shown me how crucial independent journalism is in giving voice to underrepresented communities.
Your support is what allows us to tell these stories, bringing attention to the issues that are often overlooked. Without your contributions, these voices might not be heard.
Every dollar you give helps us continue to shine a light on these critical issues in the run up to the election and beyond
Eric Garcia
Washington Bureau Chief
Huge queues of holidaymakers are waiting on “extremely busy roads” close to the Port of Dover amid warnings of 90-minute delays.
Cars could be seen snaking from the Kent port to the nearby town after 11am on Good Friday, with lorries thought to be stretching back further.
P&O Ferries and operator DFDS were reporting delays of between 60 and 90 minutes to the port’s entrance while Irish Ferries advised people to allow up to three hours before their travel time.
Drivers have been advised to bring supplies in case they are left waiting for hours, with queues expected to lengthen in the early afternoon.
Doug Bannister, chief executive of the Port of Dover, told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme: “It’s going to be a busy day, we’re running probably about an hour to an hour and a half to get through border controls at the moment, and we will peak through probably early afternoon, and then it will start to slow down after that.”
Interrail travellers warned to use half-price tickets now or lose out
Travellers who purchased Interrail passes during the anniversary sale last year are being warned they need to “activate” them soon before they become void.
In May 2022, Interrail celebrated half a century of the unlimited train ticket in Europe. To mark the occasion, the company behind the rail pass – Eurail, based in the Netherlands – staged a flash sale from 6 to 11 May 2022.
Prospective passengers were offered one-, two- or three-month Interrail passes at half price. These allow go-as-you-please adventures on the national railways of 33 participating countries.
Read travel correspondent Simon Calder’s latest report here:
Use half-price Interrail ticket now or lose out, expert warns
‘These mobile passes are brilliantly flexible, but there is one strict rule: they must be activated within 11 months of the date of purchase’
Last weekend was ‘challenging time’ for Dover community, say port authorities ahead of ‘busy’ bank holiday
Read the latest statement from the Port of Dover ahead of the “busy” Easter weekend:
Listen: Ferry, road and rail disruption over Easter
Travel correspondent Simon Calder gives you the travel outlook amid ferry, road and rail disruption over the Easter weekend:
ICYMI: Dover port chief contradicts Brexiteer MPs who blamed France for coach delays
The boss of the Port of Dover has contradicted claims by senior Tory MPs that French frontier officials were responsible for border hold-ups at the start of the Easter school holidays.
Doug Bannister, chief executive of the UK’s main departure point for continental Europe, said the Police aux Frontieres had been “very, very good” at responding to the build-up of traffic last weekend.
Tens of thousands of travellers queued for 12 hours or more ahead of ferry journeys to France as a post-Covid surge of coach trips came up against tougher post-Brexit border checks.
Read Simon Calder’s exclusive report here:
Dover port chief contradicts Brexiteer MPs who blamed France for coach delays
Exclusive: ‘When they knew we were having challenges, they actually turned up with more people to better support us’
Package holiday company Tui Group has recorded strong demand for Easter holiday trips to destinations with “guaranteed sun”, as it expects a busy summer and bookings to return to pre-Covid levels.
Read more on this story here:
Strong summer ahead for Tui as Britons seek sunshine holidays
The package holiday company said demand for Easter holidays has been strong as bookings near pre-Covid levels
ICYMI: Another Easter of travel chaos begins as queues build at Dover and France hit by strikes
Britons are facing travel chaos this weekend with flights grounded, trains cancelled and traffic already building up at Dover as the Easter weekend getaway begins.
The four days between Good Friday to Easter Monday are expected to be the busiest since 2019, with post-Brexit passport checks, railway works and strikes in France all set to cause delays for travellers.
For many, it will be a repeat of the disruption faced last Easter that was hit by airport staff shortages and cross-Channel hold-ups.
Travel correspondent Simon Calder reports:
Another Easter of chaos begins with queues at Dover and French strikes
Wait for passport checks hits 90 minutes as national strike in France grounds flights
Watch: Port of Dover boss promises smoother weekend for France travellers
Freight lorries, HGVs and cars are seen queuing on the A20 road towards the Port of Dover
Strong summer ahead for Tui as Britons seek sunshine holidays
Tens of thousands of British travellers face disruption on Thursday as another nationwide strike takes place in France.
The latest walkout in protest against President Macron’s proposed pension reforms has caused Eurostar to cancel a pair of trains between London and Paris.
The cross-Channel rail operator said: “There will be a general strike in France on 6 April, which could extend beyond this date. It will involve disruption across multiple sectors, including national rail services and it will have an impact on the availability of some of our crew.”
Read travel correspondent Simon Calder’s report here:
France air traffic control strike sees flights cancelled, Eurostar trains axed
France air traffic control strike
Dover delays
At dawn on Friday morning, DFDS Ferries – which sails from Dover to Calais and Dunkirk – was reporting: “Queues of up to 30 minutes at border controls.”
Later in the day travellers are warned: “Please allow 120 minutes to complete border controls and check-in.
Irish Ferries, which sails from Dover to Calais, is telling passengers to allow up to three hours to complete border facilities and check-in
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments