Key facts
- MPs warn of 'utter chaos' and 'miles of tailbacks' at the Port of Dover due to the EU's entry/exit system (EES).
- The EES technology supplied by France is experiencing delays and cannot be used in newly installed kiosks at Dover.
- The port experienced significant delays during the May half-term holiday due to EES checks.
- EU officials acknowledged "20 difficult spots" but rejected calls to suspend the EES system.
- The port's chief executive warned of severe congestion impacting local towns, transport, freight, and trade.
- A discretionary power exists to temporarily suspend EES checks until September.
MPs have issued a stark warning that the Port of Dover faces 'utter chaos' and 'miles of tailbacks' unless the EU's entry/exit system (EES) is fixed or its checks suspended by next week. The home affairs select committee chair, Karen Bradley, urged the government to exert maximum pressure on French authorities to address the technological issues before the peak summer holiday traffic arrives.
Dover typically experiences its busiest weekend as schools break for summer, with traffic expected to peak from Friday, July 17. The port reported that EES checks during the May half-term holiday resulted in delays of four and a half hours, and anticipates a nearly 50% increase in vehicles this summer.
This warning follows the EU's rejection of calls from European airports and airlines to suspend the EES's fingerprinting and facial recognition border controls. While EU officials admitted to "20 difficult spots" causing tailbacks, they stated these were among 1,500 border crossing points.
During a visit to Dover, MPs observed that a £40 million biometric kiosk facility intended for car travellers remains closed due to technology and software delays from French authorities, despite the port having reconfigured its layout and installed 84 automatic kiosks. Bradley emphasized the need for the Home Office to apply immediate pressure for the system to be operational or suspended, otherwise, "miles of tailbacks" are inevitable.
The port's chief executive, Doug Bannister, previously wrote to the business and trade committee, highlighting the potential impact on local towns, transport, freight, and trade. He stated that the port cannot use its new facility due to the "inoperability of the EES kiosk technology, which is completely beyond the control of the port." Bannister warned that without greater flexibility during peak demand, severe congestion would be a recurring issue throughout the summer, with traffic potentially spilling onto public highways.