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| Dover ferry passengers warned of long delays as coaches queue up | Dover ferry passengers warned of long delays as coaches queue up |
| (34 minutes later) | |
| A critical incident has been declared at Dover, as coach passengers face hours-long delays caused by long border processing times and bad weather. | A critical incident has been declared at Dover, as coach passengers face hours-long delays caused by long border processing times and bad weather. |
| On Saturday as the Easter getaway began, the port said around 70 coaches were waiting to be processed and that 400 were expected to arrive today. | On Saturday as the Easter getaway began, the port said around 70 coaches were waiting to be processed and that 400 were expected to arrive today. |
| Children on school coach trips had been stuck at the port for more than 12 hours, parents said on Twitter. | Children on school coach trips had been stuck at the port for more than 12 hours, parents said on Twitter. |
| The port apologised for the "prolonged delays". | The port apologised for the "prolonged delays". |
| It was "deeply frustrated", particularly on behalf of ferry operators' coach passengers "who have had to endure such a long wait", a spokesperson said. | It was "deeply frustrated", particularly on behalf of ferry operators' coach passengers "who have had to endure such a long wait", a spokesperson said. |
| At 04:00 BST, the port reported delays of five to six hours for coaches - it later said that coach delays were still several hours long. | |
| Cars were passing through without delays and freight traffic was being processed steadily, the port said. | |
| Coach traffic was slow because of lengthy French border processes at Dover and sheer volume, the port spokesperson said. | |
| P&O Ferries and DFDS Seaways have both reported disruption to Channel ferry crossings - with DFDS saying strong winds were adding to the problem. | |
| Last year a critical incident in Dover was blamed on bad weather and a shortage of ferries at Easter. The port said on Saturday that despite considerable pre-planning for this year, the additional coach bookings taken by ferry operators for Easter has impacted operations. | |
| Food and drink had been provided to coach passengers caught up in the queues, the port said. | Food and drink had been provided to coach passengers caught up in the queues, the port said. |
| It was working to get "all passengers on their way as quickly as possible". | It was working to get "all passengers on their way as quickly as possible". |
| No repeat of Easter airport chaos, industry says | |
| A coach of school children traveling to France had been given bags of crisps, some chocolate and water to see them through. | |
| And a group of university students on a coach travelling to France arrived last night at 20:00 GMT after huge delays on the roads. They were kept in the cruise terminal at Dover and expected they would be waiting another 10 hours before they caught a ferry. | |
| DFDS that it was expecting a busy weekend and asked customers to allow extra time to complete border and check-in controls on arrival. | DFDS that it was expecting a busy weekend and asked customers to allow extra time to complete border and check-in controls on arrival. |
| Photos showed long queues at the port on Friday evening | Photos showed long queues at the port on Friday evening |
| Passengers complained that they had spent the day stranded, that they and their children - who arrived via coach at midday - were still waiting for a place on a ferry at 21:00 BST. | Passengers complained that they had spent the day stranded, that they and their children - who arrived via coach at midday - were still waiting for a place on a ferry at 21:00 BST. |
| Student Oliver Quigley-Brown, who was travelling to France for a university ski trip, told the BBC he had been warned he faced a 14-hour delay. | Student Oliver Quigley-Brown, who was travelling to France for a university ski trip, told the BBC he had been warned he faced a 14-hour delay. |
| He said he had seen "a lot of stressed teachers" at the port, estimating there could be "thousands" of people from school and university groups stuck there. | He said he had seen "a lot of stressed teachers" at the port, estimating there could be "thousands" of people from school and university groups stuck there. |
| Authorities had provided them with snacks and water, Mr Quigley-Brown said, but he added: "I don't think they'd anticipated the kind of delays we're seeing." | Authorities had provided them with snacks and water, Mr Quigley-Brown said, but he added: "I don't think they'd anticipated the kind of delays we're seeing." |
| Ferry operators have been sending coach traffic to alternative waiting areas in order to clear the backlog of vehicles within the port. | Ferry operators have been sending coach traffic to alternative waiting areas in order to clear the backlog of vehicles within the port. |
| DFDS UK tweeted that services to France were running with delays of up to 2.5 hours - but urged passengers to check in as normal. | DFDS UK tweeted that services to France were running with delays of up to 2.5 hours - but urged passengers to check in as normal. |
| In its own Twitter update, P&O Ferries stressed that it had "no control" over the border checks, but that coaches would be on "the next crossing to Calais after clearing check-in". | In its own Twitter update, P&O Ferries stressed that it had "no control" over the border checks, but that coaches would be on "the next crossing to Calais after clearing check-in". |
| A spokesperson for DFDS earlier apologised for the wait times - which were blamed on bad weather delaying sailings - as well as "high volumes of traffic... particularly coach groups". | A spokesperson for DFDS earlier apologised for the wait times - which were blamed on bad weather delaying sailings - as well as "high volumes of traffic... particularly coach groups". |
| As well as the situation at Dover, there are fears of disrupted Easter getaways due to strikes affecting London's Heathrow Airport. | As well as the situation at Dover, there are fears of disrupted Easter getaways due to strikes affecting London's Heathrow Airport. |
| Hundreds of security officers in the Unite union have begun 10 days of industrial action over pay - though the airport said it was operating "as normal" on Friday. | Hundreds of security officers in the Unite union have begun 10 days of industrial action over pay - though the airport said it was operating "as normal" on Friday. |
| Related Topics | Related Topics |
| Ferries | Ferries |
| P&O ferries | P&O ferries |
| Dover | Dover |