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Port of Dover steps up plans for summer despite unused EU EES kiosks
The port says a new £40 million Western Docks EES facility cannot be used because French authorities have not activated its 84 kiosks.
The Port of Dover said it has prepared extensively for the summer holiday rush as it anticipates repeat congestion tied to new EU border checks, warning that delays could return unless more flexibility is allowed in the Entry Exit System, according to BBC Business.
Dover’s chief executive, Doug Bannister, said a new EES processing facility at Western Docks, built with £40 million in investment, is not being used for cars because the technology has not been activated. EES is being rolled out fully in April and requires fingerprint registration and a photograph to enter the Schengen Area, with Dover among the UK sites that run juxtaposed border controls.
The port declared a critical incident in May half term after waiting times reached four and a half hours on a day with about 8,500 outbound vehicles. With most of England and Wales set to break up at the end of this week or early next week, Dover expects about 7,500 outbound cars on Friday, nearly 10,000 on Saturday, and roughly 10,500 outbound cars on both 24 and 25 July.
Bannister said it had been hoped many travelers would register using the Western Docks facility with 84 kiosks, but French authorities have not switched them on and have not set a date. BBC Business reports the port has installed new border positions since May and that the French authorities have agreed to its suggested resource requirements, while holidaymakers are being urged to use main roads and arrive no more than two hours before their booked sailing.