Travellers braced for long delays with new EU checks

International travellers and lorry drivers have been warned that they could face long delays at Dover and on the Eurostar when the new EU entry-exit system starts tomorrow

- HOLLY BANCROFT

Britons travelling to Europe will be subject to new entry checks, which require non-EU citizens to scan their passports and have their fingerprints and photograph taken. The new entry-exit system (EES) is being phased in over the next six months, with passengers required to register on arrival in the EU. Some border control checks will happen on UK soil.

The EES will affect coaches and HGV drivers at Dover and the Channel Tunnel in Folkestone, as well as selected passengers on the Eurostar. Travellers have been warned that there may be longer waits at busy times while the new system is introduced, both at border crossings in the UK and on arrival in the EU.

Two contingency sites in Kent have been identified by government officials for passenger vehicles, in case of disruption. These include the Lydden Hill racetrack and one further site that is not yet up and running. The government is finalising an agreement to use a location along the A20/M20 route, where vehicles can be parked if the EES causes chaos at the Port of Dover.

These locations have been chosen as part of long-term efforts to boost Kent’s resilience to problems with Channel crossings, and could also be used if bad weather or industrial action cause disruption.