UK blames France as travelers face hours-long port delays

Jul 22, 2022, 1:17 AM | Updated: 6:58 pm

Car queue at the check-in at Dover Port as many families embark on getaways at the start of summer ...

Car queue at the check-in at Dover Port as many families embark on getaways at the start of summer holidays for many schools in England and Wales, in Kent, England, Friday July 22, 2022. (Gareth Fuller/PA via AP)

(Gareth Fuller/PA via AP)

LONDON (AP) — Truck drivers and Britons heading off on holiday by ferry faced hours-long waits at the port of Dover on Friday, with authorities blaming French officials for the chaos — a claim France denied.

Dover authorities said a lack of French border officials was leading to waits of up to six hours for border checks at the English Channel port, with queues of tourist and freight traffic snarling roads for miles (kilometers).

Millions of people in Britain are trying to begin vacations this weekend — the start of the summer school holidays — and face disruptions by road, sea, rail and air.

U.K. port authorities said that, despite months of work between the two nations to prepare for peak travel season, the number of French border police “has been insufficient and has fallen far short of what is required to ensure a smooth first weekend of the peak summer getaway period.”

Since Britain left the European Union in 2020, U.K. travelers face stricter border checks when traveling to the continent. At Dover they are performed on the English side of the channel by French staff.

Port of Dover chief executive Doug Bannister said the port had declared a “critical incident.”

“We’ve been badly let down this morning by the French border,” he said.

British Foreign Secretary Liz Truss said the situation “should have been entirely avoidable and is unacceptable.”

“We need action from France to build up capacity at the border to limit any further disruption for British tourists and to ensure this appalling situation is avoided in future,” said Truss, who is running to replace Boris Johnson as Conservative Party leader and Britain’s next prime minister. “We will be working with the French authorities to find a solution.”

France denied that its border officials were unprepared. Georges-Francois Leclerc, the top official for the Hauts-de-France region, said an unforeseen “technical incident” in the Channel Tunnel prevented some Dover border booths from being staffed as planned Friday morning but insisted the problem was resolved after about 75 minutes.

By Friday afternoon, port authorities said more French staff had arrived “and traffic is slowly beginning to move, but it will take some time to clear the backlog.”

The French Embassy in London said on Twitter that “French border checks in Dover are operating in full capacity,” and French and British officials were “cooperating closely” to get people moving.

Turkish truck driver Muhammet Turker said he began queuing in his rig at Dover on Thursday evening and was still waiting 16 hours later.

“I’ve been in something like this before, but this is the worst,” he said.

The problems follow days of travel disruptions on Britain’s railways after a heat wave brought record-smashing 40 degrees Celsius (104 degrees Fahrenheit) temperatures to the U.K., buckling rails and starting fires.

Rail workers also plan more walkouts next week in a dispute over pay and conditions.

Air travel has also been hit by disruptions, in Britain and around the world, as airlines and airports struggle to cope with the return of mass travel following two years of pandemic restrictions.

Copyright © The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

AP

FILE - The logo of the Organization of the Petroleoum Exporting Countries (OPEC) is seen outside of...

Associated Press

Saudi Arabia reducing global oil supply, could spell higher prices for US drivers

Saudi Arabia will reduce how much oil it sends to the global economy, taking a unilateral step to prop up the sagging price of crude.

2 days ago

This photo provided by Robert Wilkes, owner of a house boat management company, shows smoke rising ...

Associated Press

Houseboats catch fire while docked at Wahweap Marina on Lake Powell

More than half a dozen house boats momentarily caught fire at a popular boating destination on the Utah-Arizona line on Friday.

4 days ago

File - Women work in a restaurant kitchen in Chicago, Thursday, March 23, 2023. On Friday, the U.S....

Associated Press

US hiring, unemployment jump in May and what that says about the economy

The nation’s employers stepped up their hiring in May, adding a robust 339,000 jobs, well above expectations.

4 days ago

(Pixabay Photo)...

Associated Press

Oath Keeper from Arizona sentenced for role in Jan. 6 riot at US Capitol

Edward Vallejo, a U.S. Army veteran from Phoenix, oversaw a “Quick Reaction Force” at a Virginia hotel that was prepared to deploy an arsenal of weapons into Washington if needed, authorities say.

5 days ago

FILE - U.S. Border Patrol Chief Raul Ortiz listens during a news conference, Jan. 5, 2023, in Washi...

Associated Press

US Border Patrol chief is retiring after seeing through end of Title 42 immigration restrictions

The head of the U.S. Border Patrol announced Tuesday that he was retiring, after seeing through a major policy shift that seeks to clamp down on illegal crossings at the U.S.-Mexico border following the end of Title 42 pandemic restrictions.

6 days ago

FILE - President Joe Biden talks with House Speaker Kevin McCarthy of Calif., on the House steps as...

Associated Press

House OKs debt ceiling bill to avoid default, sends Biden-McCarthy deal to Senate

The House approved a debt ceiling and budget cuts package late Wednesday, as President Joe Biden and Speaker Kevin McCarthy assembled a bipartisan coalition of centrist Democrats and Republicans against fierce conservative blowback and progressive dissent.

6 days ago

Sponsored Articles

...

DAY & NIGHT AIR CONDITIONING, HEATING AND PLUMBING

Here are the biggest tips to keep your AC bill low this summer

PHOENIX — In Arizona during the summer, having a working air conditioning unit is not just a pleasure, but a necessity. No one wants to walk from their sweltering car just to continue to be hot in their home. As the triple digits hit around the Valley and are here to stay, your AC bill […]

...

OCD & Anxiety Treatment Center

5 mental health myths you didn’t know were made up

Helping individuals understand mental health diagnoses like obsessive compulsive spectrum disorder or generalized anxiety disorder isn’t always an easy undertaking. After all, our society tends to spread misconceptions about mental health like wildfire. This is why being mindful about how we talk about mental health is so important. We can either perpetuate misinformation about already […]

...

Desert Institute for Spine Care

Spinal fusion surgery has come a long way, despite misconceptions

As Dr. Justin Field of the Desert Institute for Spine Care explained, “we've come a long way over the last couple of decades.”

UK blames France as travelers face hours-long port delays