Traffic chaos developed on the roads in England on Friday at the start of the summer holidays. According to the news broadcaster Sky News, the ferry port in Dover reported an emergency in the morning as traffic on the access roads came to a standstill.
The port administration held the French authorities responsible for this situation. The staffing at passport control, which takes place on the British side, was “deplorably insufficient” during the night and in the morning, according to a statement from the port. Despite months of preparation for the expected onslaught, insufficient resources were made available.
Brexit also plays a role here. British tourists entering the European Union are now required to have their passports stamped because they are only allowed to stay in EU member states for 90 days at a time. “It’s something we insisted on when we left the EU,” British travel reporter Simon Calder told Sky News television.
Protests against high fuel prices were announced on major transport routes in Britain, adding to the difficulties in the English Channel. To impede the flow of traffic, protesters wanted to move in extremely slow columns of vehicles on roads such as the M4 east-west axis and the M5 north-south axis. This route is primarily relevant for holidaymakers who go on holiday in their own country. The weekend is expected to intensify the chaos on the streets.
Travelers from Great Britain are now suffering. There have been massive problems at British airports for weeks. The cause is almost always a lack of staff. Because of the corona pandemic, employees were laid off – many jobs are now missing. Workers also drop out spontaneously again and again because of infections. In addition, there are strikes.