Holidaymakers face waits at Channel with Brexit and French authorities blamed

Holidaymakers are nonetheless going through lengthy waits to cross the Channel, whereas lorries stay backed up after a second day of journey chaos.

Further post-Brexit border checks and French authorities’ understaffing of checkpoints in Dover have been blamed for the hold-ups.

Scenes of gridlocked roads and bumper-to-bumper vehicles seen on Friday had been repeated on Saturday as hundreds of travellers endured prolonged queues and a few lorry drivers noticed waits of greater than 18 hours.

It comes throughout one of many busiest durations for overseas journey from the UK as most faculties in England and Wales have damaged up for summer time.

International Secretary and Tory management hopeful Liz Truss stated disruption on the Port of Dover was the fault of French authorities when requested if Brexit was the explanation for the transport chaos.

Talking at a marketing campaign go to in Kent, she stated: “It is a state of affairs that has been brought on by an absence of useful resource on the border.

“And that’s what the French authorities want to handle and that’s what I’m being very clear with them about.”

The International, Commonwealth & Improvement Workplace later tweeted an announcement from Ms Truss, asserting she had spoken to French overseas minister Catherine Colonna.

She stated: “I used to be clear the French authorities haven’t put sufficient folks on the border and we have to see motion from then to resolve the horrible state of affairs which travellers, together with households, are going through.”

The message got here after a tweet from Ms Colonna, who acknowledged the pair had a “good discuss”.

Ms Colonna added: “We welcomed the cooperation between our competent technical providers to cut back the delays. Want additionally to enhance the services of the port of Dover.”

However French politician Pierre-Henri Dumont, Republican MP for Calais, has blamed delays on the UK’s exit from the EU, telling BBC Information it was “an aftermath of Brexit” with extra checks wanted and claiming the Dover port is “too small” with too few kiosks on account of lack of area.

Passengers embarking on cross-Channel sailings from Dover should move by way of French border checks earlier than they’ll board a ferry.

Port authorities stated they had been “relieved that French border employees (Police Aux Frontieres) have now been totally mobilised at French border controls in Dover”.

Port of Dover chief govt Doug Bannister stated it was “immensely irritating” to be “let down” by poor resourcing on the French border, and has additionally acknowledged that there will likely be “elevated transaction occasions” on the border on account of further checks wanted.

He later stated he welcomed the “dedication proven by each French and UK authorities to resolve the problem”, and added the required staffing ranges have to be maintained for the remainder of the summer time.

Natalie Chapman, from haulier group Logistics UK, echoed issues about French employees numbers and Brexit modifications.

She stated: “As I say, the trigger was that lack of useful resource yesterday but additionally, after all, it takes lots longer to course of by way of site visitors than it used to.

“You used to, previous to Brexit, simply wave your passport and so they might or might not be checked out however now each one is checked and stamped.”

Holidaymaker Angie Emrys-Jones and 4 members of the family, together with three youngsters, endured practically 11 hours in a queue and had been solely capable of board the Eurotunnel at 4.15pm – having joined the queue at 5.30am.

The 46-year-old from Cornwall stated the household had been “fed proper up” and nonetheless had a 16-hour journey forward of them to Umbria, Italy.

Whereas these queueing to cross the Channel had been nonetheless going through three to four-hour waits by round 5pm, jams on many routes within the South East had been cleared, based on the AA.

An AA Route Planner site visitors warning was nonetheless being issued to holidaymakers heading in direction of the Port of Dover and the Eurotunnel terminal at Folkestone, whereas a backlog of freight remained to be cleared.

Nonetheless, the AA predicted roads can be a lot quieter on Sunday.