Dover bank holiday misery strikes again as families face tailbacks
Bank Holiday traffic chaos has struck again with holidaymakers missing ferries amid major tailbacks into Dover - while technical issues are also plaguing air travellers.
IT problems at French passport control are being blamed for the road hold-ups - though motorists are complaining of waiting far longer than the estimated one hour stated.
The actual delays are said to be more like three times that.
It comes after the Easter bank holiday last month saw similar agonising waits.
Malfunctioning e-gates are also causing delays today across all UK airports after British Airways was forced to cancel dozens of flights of three days.
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Hundreds of lorries are among the vehicles caught in the gridlock on the outskirts of the Kent coastal town.
People have been snapped having got out of their cars on the carriageways to survey the situation and stretch their legs.
JB Theibaut filmed the scene as his family were stuck at the port hoping to catch a ferry to Calais.
IT problems at French passport control are being blamed for the road hold-ups (PA)He said: "Huge traffic starting 2 miles from the checkpoint. Traffic was diverted within Dover residential areas, it was utter chaos.
"It’s me, my wife and our two daughters. Travelling to France for half term.
"We’re used to delays. We left London at 7am. Usually, we’re in the queue at 8.30am. This time we didn’t reach customs before 10.45am.
"We missed our boat scheduled for 9.55am and we’ve been put on the next one at 11.25am.
"It’s a long day. Lot more waiting than actual driving.
Hundreds of lorries are among the vehicles caught up in the tailbacks (PA)He added: "We used to take the shuttle but it’s chaotic as well and more expensive. We’re paying £290 for a return ferry trip, and it’s always chaos."
Furious drivers have been taking to social media to complain - with other photos showing the queues dramatically snaking back for miles.
Footage show similar queues in the run up to Newhaven Port.
Among those stuck at Dover are staff and pupils from St Clements High School in Norfolk.
People have been seen getting out of their cars onto the gridlocked carriageways (PA)In a tweet around midday, the school said: "Traffic at the @Port_of_Dover is heavy and police are controlling traffic to the port.
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"This has resulted in us missing our sailing. We are now being ushered towards passport control and hopeful that we will make the next available sailing."
Rose Poulton tweeted: "We’ve been in the passport queue for 1hr45 so far. They don’t move the lines very fairly. We’ve missed the 8.25 hope they let us through before next one."
While Dita Purcell told ferry operator DFDS she and her party had been waiting nearly two hours and said it might be the "last time we brave the boat".
She said: "Almost 2 hours sitting in a traffic and still not even at the passport control...this is atrocious, the recommended 120 minutes is nowhere near enough."
Reports of waits nearing three hours (PA)Tagging in the company, she added: "Our ferry leaving in 30 minutes, this might be the last time we brave the boat."
Vess Ignatova tweeted: "2.5h in queue for the Dover Ferries."
An unnamed person added: "Another absolute s*** show of traffic in Dover. @Port_of_Dover is not fit for use."
BBC reporter Simon Jones said: "There are said to be currently around 350 lorries in TAP on the outskirts of Dover, and 70 in Brock."
In another tweet at just after 8am, he said: "Port of Dover says cars and coaches are currently facing a wait of around an hour - following earlier IT problems at French passport controls, which have now been resolved."
The bank holiday travel chaos has begun already (PA)P&O Ferries also said earlier this morning: "Please be advised that there are currently queues at the entrance to the Port of Dover of at least 60 minutes.
The Port of Dover later posted on Twitter: "Thank you for your patience as we catch up from earlier IT issues at border control, which have been resolved.
"Traffic now processing well through border. Average waiting times for cars and coaches now 90 mins."
The RAC estimated that drivers across the UK will embark on 19.2 million leisure car trips between Friday and Monday making it the busiest late May bank holiday since 2019.
Holidaymakers have complained about missing ferries (STEVE FINN PHOTOGRAPHY)"Please allow additional time on your journey if possible and rest assured that if you miss your crossing you will be on the next."
Travellers have posted photos of long lines at airports around the country as all incoming passengers were forced to use manned passport desks, instead of the automatic gates equipped with electronic passport scanners.
The Home Office, which is responsible for border control, said it was working to correct the problem.
"We are aware of a nationwide border system issue affecting arrivals into the UK," the Home Office said.
Lorries queue for the Port of Dover along the A20 (PA)"We are working to resolve the issue as soon as possible and are liaising with port operators and airlines to minimise disruption for travellers."
One passenger at Gatwick said it was an "utter joke", while another at Heathrow spoke of the "mother of all queues".
It's the third day in a row for air travel disruption, with British Airways apologising after being forced to cancel dozens of flights due to IT problems since Thursday.
A very busy Heathrow airport, with passengers queuing since 5.30am today (W8 Media / SplashNews.com)BA said yesterday cancellations were still happening due to the "knock-on effect of a technical issue" resulting in staff being in the wrong location.
A total of 175 flights have been axed, affecting more than 20,000 passengers.
The Mirror has contacted the Port of Dover for a response.
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