A critical incident has been declared at Dover as travelers face delays of several hours at the start of the Easter getaway due to bad weather and long processing times in France. P&O Ferries and DFDS Seaways have also reported delays to their ferries crossing the English Channel. Strong winds are exacerbating the problem, according to ferry operator DFDS Seaways.
The Port authorities have stated that processing for freight and tourist traffic in cars is normal for peak periods. However, freight traffic is being queued on the edge of the town. The Port, ferry operators, and other partners are working hard to resolve the current issue.
In addition to the situation at Dover, there are concerns of disrupted Easter getaways due to strikes affecting London’s Heathrow Airport. Hundreds of security officers in the Unite union have started 10 days of industrial action over pay, though the airport has said it is operating “as normal” on Friday.
Passengers in Dover have complained that they were stranded at the Port on Friday, with one parent tweeting that they and their children, who arrived via coach at midday, were still waiting for a place on a ferry at 9pm. P&O Ferries tweeted at 9pm that it was providing refreshments to passengers waiting in the buffer zone at the entrance of the port. DFDS UK also tweeted that services to France were running with severe delays, and that passengers would be transferred to “the first available departure”.
A spokesperson for P&O commented that the queues were “a result of bad weather causing delays to sailings, combined with high volumes of traffic, and particularly coach groups”. They apologized for the wait times and added that an extra sailing had been put on in the evening to help clear the backlog.
The delays at Dover and the strikes at Heathrow Airport have caused disruption to travelers’ Easter getaways. The Port authorities, ferry operators, and other partners are working hard to resolve the issues and minimize disruption. Passengers are advised to check with their ferry operators for updates on their journeys.