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Blimey, it sure is taking a while for these Brexit benefits to kick-in. While we continue our wait to find out how leaving the EU has helped the UK in any shape or form, a critical incident at the Port of Dover has been declared – with some travellers queuing ‘for up to 12 hours’.
Although a set of torrential downpours hasn’t helped matters, it’s not just the weather cooking up a perfect storm. With the Easter break approaching, a surge of holidaymakers have made their way down to the south-east coast, with travel volumes at their highest rates in years.
However, this is causing misery at the border – 2023 is the first year since COVID-19 and the Brexit deal being ‘finalised’ where traveler numbers are expected to resemble pre-pandemic figures. Needless to say, things aren’t going to plan.
Traffic is expected to intensify over the weekend, as Brits look to make the most of the four-day holiday this month. Alas, those heading to the continent via Dover are likely to suffer at the hands of the UK’s own Brexit rules.
Simon Calder is a leading expert on travel. He spoke to the BBC this morning to unpack the situation. He left no doubt as to what was causing this abject chaos, and he ripped into red tape that has been created by the referendum result.
“The Port of Dover is saying, very specifically, this is due to delays with border control. At Dover, coaches are taken to one side. Since Brexit, we have asked to have our passports examined minutely. If you’ve got say, 50 people on one coach, it is time consuming.”
“We now have a surge of coaches converging on Dover, for the first time really since after COVID and after Brexit. It’s now out of control. It’s a miserable situation, and this is without the proposed entry-exit system where everyone will have to be fingerprinted.” | Simon Calder
