The Port of Dover has said it is “deeply frustrated” after a critical incident was declared as coach passengers faced hours-long delays.
The port attributed the delays to “lengthy French border processes and sheer volume”.
In a statement posted on the port’s website on Saturday, it said extra coach bookings taken by ferry operators for Easter had affected operations.
P&O Ferries apologised for the waiting times for coaches travelling from Dover, while DFDS said it was expecting a busy weekend and advised passengers to allow extra time to complete border and check-in procedures.
DOVER-FRANCE-DOVER | Services are operating with delays of up to 2.5 hours due to the winds in the channel, please check-in as normal. Apologies for any inconvenience caused. #dfdshelp
— DFDS UK Updates (@DFDSUKUpdates) April 1, 2023
In a statement, the port said: “The Port of Dover is deeply frustrated by last night’s and this morning’s situation and particularly so on behalf of all the ferry operators’ coach passengers who have had to endure such a long wait at the port.
“Whilst freight and car traffic was processed steadily regardless of the additional challenging weather conditions and high seasonal volumes, coach traffic suffered significant delays due to lengthy French border processes and sheer volume.
“Despite considerable pre-planning with our ferry operators, border agency partners and the Kent resilience forum, and the success of similar plans for processing substantial numbers of coaches during the most recent half-term period, the additional coach bookings taken by ferry operators for Easter have impacted operations for the port.”
#PODOVER – We apologise for the wait times in Dover for coaches. As we have no control over the processes at border control we cannot confirm how long it will take to pass through. Once the coaches are at the P&O check in they will be on the next crossing to Calais
— P&O Ferries Updates (@POferriesupdate) April 1, 2023
It added: “We offer our sincere apologies for the prolonged delays that people have endured and continue to work with all of our partners to get all passengers on their way as quickly as possible.”
The port did not say how long it expected wait times to be on Saturday.
DFDS said on Twitter on Friday night that the wait time for coaches was about seven hours from arrival at the port.
A spokesperson for DFDS Seaways said: “The queues at Dover today [Friday] have been as a result of bad weather causing delays to sailings, combined with high volumes of traffic, and particularly coach groups.
“DFDS is working to keep passengers up to date via its website and social media channels, and is transporting passengers on the next available sailing once they have checked in.
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“It has also been working with coach operators to speed up the check-in process for coach passengers.”
Oliver Quigley-Brown, who was travelling to France for a university ski trip, told the BBC he had been warned he faced a 14-hour delay, and estimated there could be “thousands” of people from school and university groups stuck in Dover.
He said the authorities had provided them with snacks and water, but added: “I don’t think they’d anticipated the kind of delays we’re seeing.”
The Labour leader, Keir Starmer called on the government to “get a grip” of the situation at Dover.
He said: “I really feel for people trying to get through Dover. There will have been families who have booked holidays and now they are frustrated yet again and I think the nature of the frustration will be: ‘Not again.’
“This is not the first time there have been problems at Dover. The government needs to get a grip of this.
“You can’t have every summer holiday, every Easter holiday, the same old problem. And so the government needs to get a grip on this and actually help people out … who are just trying to get away for a few days holiday.”
