Travel chaos LATEST – Dover queues are causing holiday hell on Eurotunnel Plus cancelled flights update, and train strikes

Dover has more queues than ever because of fears about ‘vulnerable summer’Grow

There are queues at the Port of Dover due to fears that severe disruptions experienced in recent days could be repeated throughout the summer.

Ferry operator DFDS stated to passengers that there were “queues of around an hour”French border controls Monday morning “allow a minimum of 120 minutes before your departure to complete all controls”.

P&O Ferries wrote on Twitter: “The queues have picked up and it is taking approximately one hour to clear passport control.”

As bumper-to-bumper traffic stretched for miles, passengers were forced to wait several hours Friday for their journeys. This was amidst the chaos that engulfed the summer school holidays for tens and thousands of families.

It was caused by a staff shortage at French border controls and a serious crash along the M20 motorway.

Only half of the rail services that will run this week are shown on a new map

The new map of misery by the RAIL bosses shows that only half of Britain’s network is open this week.

More than 50,000 railway staff will walkout in the biggest dispute on the network in 33 years.

The map below shows the lines that will continue to operate in and out London during the affected times.

Strike days are rare. Only 1 in 5 trains will be running during them

Just one in five trains will run on strike days — with last services leaving by 6.30pm and disruption expected all week.

A Network Rail map reveals only half of the ­network will be operating, with no services to Chester, Bournemouth, Blackpool, and most of Wales.

Militant unions told rail users they should work from home for a week to avoid the impending travel chaos, which is set to cost the fragile economy £150million.

Some 50,000 drivers, staff and others will picket the lines to protest their low pay and poor conditions.

Official from Kent County Council: Vulnerable summer ahead

Mister Howe spoke to BBC Radio 4’s Today about what the remainder of the summer might bring. “Basically, it’s very vulnerable, it takes very little for it to cause further problems.

“So, for example, last Friday night we had the Port of Dover telling us there was a lack of resource at the port but we then had a serious crash on the motorway as well so those two things together then really compounded the situation, so you only need another crash on the road or maybe a train breaks down or there’s a power failure somewhere for it then to become a big problem.”

Howe stated that it is not necessary to prevent this from happening: “We shouldn’t be using our roads as lorry and parking lots.”

We don’t need to have traffic jams because of all this. Therefore, we need to build more infrastructure.

“We are really in a difficult place in England, as both Eurotunnel (Port of Dover) and Port of Dover have very limited space. They have more space in France so they can expand and provide more facilities, but Kent doesn’t have the luxury.

“So the Kent Resilience Forum and Kent County Council are working very closely with Government to actually look at what can be done in the future, but as you say that can’t be done overnight.”

M20 remains closed to non-freight traffic between junctions 8 & 9

National Highways quickly reopened the coastbound M20 in Kent between junctions 9 & 11 shortly after 1 am on Monday.

Operation Brock is in effect, and the motorway is still closed to non-freight traffic at junctions 8-9.

Long queues formed on the roads leading to Eurotunnel’s Folkestone terminal during the weekend.

Images: Mammoth queues in Dover during weekend

Holidaymakers reported seven hour delays at Dover this weekend. However, the BBC reported that one man had been waiting to cross the border for seven hours. “30 hours”.

Another family said to the broadcaster that they had only moved 75m in six hours.

The passengers who were disgruntled decided to leave their places in the queue and take a risk on a faster route.

Strike date round-up

The National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers, RMT, and Transport Salaried Staffs Association –July 27, 2008

Arriva Rail London and Chiltern Railways Greater Anglia, Great Western, Hull Trains LNER, Southeastern, West Midlands TrainsJuly 30,

RMT –August 18-20

TfL disruption expected on some lines during strike action

Transport for London (TfL), stated that although the industrial action did not affect its staff, disruptions were expected on the District Tube and Bakerloo Tube lines as well as London Overground and Elizabeth lines. These lines are used for travel to airports like London Heathrow and London Gatwick.

TUI issues a warning to Brits about going abroad

TUI has updated its travel advice for Brits going abroad this week.

Rail strikes are planned across the UK, which could cause problems for holidaymakers who travel to the airport.

More than 40,000 Network Rail workers will be striking on July 27, with the strike taking place.

TUI has since advised travellers to find alternative ways to get to The airport to avoid missing their flights.

They said on their website: “We’d like to remind customers of a planned national train strike on Wednesday 27^thJuly which is likely to affect services into airports across the country throughout the day and into Thursday 28th.

“If you are heading on holiday on either of these days please plan ahead and make alternative plans to get to your departure airport if necessary. We’d also recommend allowing extra time for your journey.”

Dover MP blams French police chief for travel chaos

FRENCH Police Chief, who was critical of Brexit, was blamed yesterday for Dover traffic chaos. This continued to be a source of misery for thousands of holidaymakers.

This happened as Dover port staff from France performed full passport checks, the first time they had done so since 2019.

Fernand Gontier (62), director general of France’s PAF Border Police has been complaining about Britain’s exit from the EU since 2016. It is being called a “regression”.

He was accused in the alleged conspiracy to prevent sufficient French officers from Dover port for Friday checks.

While families faced long waits of up to 30 hours, only four out of 12 French border passport kiosks were open at the same time, they faced 30-hour lines. Yesterday’s queues lasted up to six hours as officials at the Kent cross-channel ferry port struggled to deal with the massive backlog that had accumulated since Friday.

Natalie Elphicke, Dover MP, lashed out at Mr. Gontier after some border employees failed to show up for work Friday.

She stated that the French didn’t show up for work first, and then they refused to apologize for ruining Brits well-deserved vacations.

“It is no surprise that people are wondering if this is yet another anti-British behavior from the French to punish our departure from the EU.

“I’m really disappointed by Mr Gontier. How was this allowed to happen? He’s responsible as the chief. He has questions to answer.”

RMT statement regarding Wednesday’s rail strike

Mick Lynch, RMT general secretary, said that “Strike action” will be held next Wednesday as per plan and that RMT members are more determined than ever in order to secure decent wages and job security.

“Network Rail has not improved on their prior pay offer, and the train companies are not offering us anything new.

Network Rail has increased the pressure, threatening to impose mandatory redundancies and unsafe half-off maintenance work cuts if we do not withdraw our strike action.

“Train operating firms have placed driver-only operations on their table as well ransacking our members’ terms and conditions.

“RMT will continue to negociate in good faith, but we will never be bullied or coerced by anyone.

“The Government need to stop their interference in this dispute so the rail employers can come to a negotiated settlement with us.”

AA warns against travel chaos that could jam Britain’s roads during the warm months

Jack Cousens is the head of the AA’s roads policy and shared his concern that delays would continue into the summer.

He said: “We are worried that this congestion could recur throughout the summer.

“Drivers due to use both Dover and Folkestone to head into Europe on Fridays, Saturdays and Sunday mornings between now and the reopening of schools may see a repetition of these delays.”

Transport for London is reviewing long-term funding arrangements

Transport for London (TfL), says it is currently reviewing a proposal from the Government for long-term funding.

Since the pandemic, TfL was in financial difficulty and has been working on several short-term funding arrangements.

Andy Byford, London’s Transport Commissioner, stated that long-term funding, if approved, would bring much-needed security to those living in London.

He said, “Since keeping London going through the darkest times of the pandemic, we have been making the case before Government that there can’t be a UK recovery if there isn’t a London recovery. There can’t be a London recovery without properly funded transport networks.

“We are grateful for the support we have received so far, and maintain we have met every condition that has been set by Government as we have worked towards agreeing a multi-year funding settlement that would give certainty to London and to the tens of thousands of jobs across the country that are directly linked to TfL.”

Folkestone passengers are treated worse than cattle

Folkestone Passengers said that they were “treated worse than cattle”remained in their cars for as long as 21 hours this weekend.

The gridlock was blamed on the decision to shut a 24-mile stretch of the M20 due to Operation Brock.

In an effort to reduce congestion, Kent Police turned the roads into a parking lot for thousands of lorries. This seems to have backfired.

The AA branded Folkestone’s entry to the Eurotunnel the Entrance to the Eurotunnel. “hotspot of holiday hell”Warning drivers to “be prepared”.

Port of Dover hung on the ‘knife edge’

Holidaymakers have been warned the Kent port is on a “knife edge”As the country’s travel chaos entered its third torturous hour.

A “critical incident” was declared at Dover on Friday, with holidaymakers told to arrive six hours early for ferry queues lasting up to five hours.

A ramp up of post-Brexit border checks and French authorities’ understaffing checkpoints have been blamed for the hold-ups.

Ministers are being urged to deal with the matter by local authorities. “national problem”Instead of the “sticking plaster” approach.

Holidaymakers warn that there is still a lot of work to be done before the Dover backlog is cleared

Residents and holidaymakers have been warned that there is danger. “way to go”Clear the Dover backlog with a “very busy”Day expected, but port authorities expressed relief at the improved levels of French border staff.

On Saturday, more than 10,000 cars were expected to arrive at the port. “on their way”Prior to 10 a.m.

On Friday, scenes of gridlocked roads and bumper to bumper cars were repeated. Some travellers got out of their vehicles for a stretch, while traffic was still moving.

Doug Bannister, chief executive of Port of Dover, indicated that delays of five to six hours could still occur on Saturday. Saturday was expected to be busier than Friday.

This is the busiest period for international travel from the UK because most schools in England & Wales have closed for summer.

Chaotic scenes at the port have prompted Liz Truss (Foreign Secretary and Tory Leadership hopeful) to blame France “entirely avoidable”Delays, calling for officials “build up capacity at the border to limit any further disruption for British tourists and to ensure this appalling situation is avoided in future”.