Bank holiday travelers faced significant disruptions as long queues caused delays of up to five hours for ferries at Dover. Thousands of people seeking to leave the UK for the weekend and enjoy the hot weather experienced frustration with extensive waiting times in the sweltering heat. The Port of Dover, overwhelmed by the congestion, temporarily halted the new EU border checks to alleviate the situation on one of the hottest days of the year.
Motorists heading to the Eurotunnel in Folkestone for the LeShuttle railway encountered delays lasting over an hour during check-in. On Saturday morning, drivers endured up to two hours of travel to reach the port, followed by additional waits of up to two and a half hours for immigration procedures before boarding their ferries.
The implementation of the news entry/exit system (EES) required individuals from non-EU countries, including the UK, to undergo fingerprinting and photo registration to enter the Schengen Area. The Port of Dover acknowledged the slower border processing due to the new EES system during this bank holiday period, the first major peak since its introduction.
In efforts to ease the congestion, French authorities suspended extra EU border checks under the EES, allowing affected travelers to reschedule their ferry crossings free of charge if missed due to the queues. While Friday saw long waits at Dover, the situation seemed to improve by Saturday afternoon, with processing times for tourist traffic decreasing to 50 minutes, though queues persisted at check-in plazas and approach lanes for all ferry operators.
The travel disruptions coincided with a weekend where record-breaking temperatures were anticipated, potentially surpassing previous highs. The UK Health Security Agency issued amber heat health alerts for various regions, warning of increased health risks for vulnerable populations due to the scorching temperatures. Highs of 30C were forecasted in southern England, surpassing temperatures in popular holiday destinations like Split, Croatia, and Victoria, Seychelles, making it a challenging yet potentially record-breaking bank holiday weekend in the UK.