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Travellers crossing Channel from UK told to prepare for long delays Travellers crossing Channel from UK face 90-minute delays on Good Friday
(about 5 hours later)
Ferry operators expect bank holiday weekend to be busy with ‘large queues’ at entrance to Dover port Ferry operators expect bank holiday weekend to stay busy after large queues at entrance to Dover port
Holidaymakers are facing up to 90-minute waits at the Port of Dover as the Easter getaway kicks off with congestion on the motorways and disruption on the rail network likely to deepen the chaos across the country. Holidaymakers have waited in queues for up to 90 minutes at the Port of Dover as the Easter getaway kicked off with congestion on the motorways and disruption on the rail network.
As the long holiday weekend began on Good Friday morning, large numbers of cars were arriving at the Kent port, but traffic was moving and ferries were sailing well. As the long holiday weekend began on Good Friday morning, large numbers of cars arrived at the Kent port, but traffic was moving and ferries were sailing well.
P&O Ferries and operator DFDS were reporting delays of about 60 minutes to the port’s entrance. P&O Ferries and operator DFDS reported delays of about 60 minutes to the port’s entrance and drivers were advised to bring supplies in case of long waits.
Drivers have been advised to bring supplies in case they are left waiting for hours. Doug Bannister, chief executive of the Port of Dover, told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme: “First of all, the weather’s clear, the ferries are sailing well, and all that sort of stuff, this weekend was always scheduled to be about 30% lighter than last weekend, today being the busier day.
Delays are also expected to popular road, rail and air travel routes, because of high levels of traffic. A general strike in France over pension reforms is also expected to affect travellers.
Doug Bannister, the chief executive of the Port of Dover, told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme: “First of all, the weather’s clear, the ferries are sailing well. This weekend was always scheduled to be about 30% lighter than last weekend, today being the busier day.
“What we did is we worked with our ferry operators to try and spread the demand across the three days rather than all on this day.“What we did is we worked with our ferry operators to try and spread the demand across the three days rather than all on this day.
“I know that that’s challenging for the coach industry because they have itineraries that they want to maintain, but they’ve worked with the ferry operators to be able to do that, and that’s been successful.“I know that that’s challenging for the coach industry because they have itineraries that they want to maintain, but they’ve worked with the ferry operators to be able to do that, and that’s been successful.
“We’ve also installed a new facility to expand our processing at the borders for coaches, that’s operational, I just saw one goes through in just shy of 10 minutes.“We’ve also installed a new facility to expand our processing at the borders for coaches, that’s operational, I just saw one goes through in just shy of 10 minutes.
“It’s going to be a busy day, we’re running probably about an hour to an hour and a half to get through border controls at the moment, and we will peak through probably early afternoon, and then it will start to slow down after that.”“It’s going to be a busy day, we’re running probably about an hour to an hour and a half to get through border controls at the moment, and we will peak through probably early afternoon, and then it will start to slow down after that.”
He said holidaymakers should bring drinks, food and entertainment for children if they are arriving at the port from 10am. He said holidaymakers should bring drinks, food and entertainment for children if they were arriving at the port from 10am.
There have been concerns of a repeat of last weekend, when thousands of people faced waits of up to 14 hours to cross the Channel. The delays have been blamed on French border officials carrying out extra checks and stamping UK passports after Brexit. It came after chaotic scenes at the port last weekend when thousands of people were delayed, reportedly by up to 14 hours.
Port officials said they held an “urgent review” with ferry operators and the French authorities in an attempt to avoid a repeat of the chaos of last weekend. Significant engineering work will be taking place on the rail network until the end of Easter Monday as Network Rail said it was carrying out essential improvement and engineering work.
Lorry drivers have been advised to bring supplies in case of long queues at the port. Nichola Mallon of Logistics UK told Sky News: “If they’re waiting considerable periods of time, that becomes a driver welfare issue and so that’s why we’re working very closely with the Kent resilience forum and to make sure that we can minimise delays. Images of thousands of rail passengers queueing at stations, including Stansted airport railway station, have been shared on social media as travellers described being delayed for hours as a result of service disruption and a surge in journeys.
“Our message to our members would be to check with your ferry operator to make sure that you’re aware of the latest guidance, make sure that you’ve completed all your paperwork before you head there and have supplies there, just in case, and make sure that you leave enough time to accommodate any delays.” Ruaridh Pritchard, a writer from London, was delayed for three hours as a result of crowds and service reductions on his way to Stockport, from St Pancras.
He said: “Staff are doing the best they could under that circumstances. Lots of people arguing and pushing – it was like the last train out of Saigon.”
No trains will run to or from Euston at Easter and the west coast mainline will be closed between Euston and Milton Keynes Central.
The only line open between Birmingham and London over the Easter weekend is the Chiltern Railways line between Birmingham Moor Street and Marylebone, which is expected to be especially busy and is also the only route available between Oxford and London.
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Congestion has been reported on the M1, M4, M5, M6, M11, M20, M25, M27, M40, M56 and M61, as well as obstructions on M1, M3, M6, M11, M23 and M25, according to Highways England data.
Traffic is expected to peak on Saturday, with at least 15m car journeys expected to take place, the AA said.
Significant engineering work will be taking place on the rail network from Good Friday to Easter Monday as Network Rail is carrying out essential improvement and engineering work.
No trains will run to or from Euston at Easter and the west coast mainline will be closed between Euston and Milton Keynes Central.
The only line open between Birmingham and London over the Easter weekend is the Chiltern Railways line between Birmingham Moor Street and Marylebone, which is expected to be especially busy and is also the only route available between Oxford and London.
Some services cannot call at London Victoria, and may be diverted to London Bridge instead. In addition, there is no Gatwick Express service over Easter.Some services cannot call at London Victoria, and may be diverted to London Bridge instead. In addition, there is no Gatwick Express service over Easter.
The Hastings line between Tunbridge Wells and Hastings stations will be closed throughout the Easter weekend. Southeastern services will also be disrupted on Saturday and Sunday as Charing Cross and Waterloo East will be closed. The Hastings Line between Tunbridge Wells and Hastings stations will be closed throughout the Easter weekend. Southeastern services will also be disrupted on Saturday and Sunday as Charing Cross and Waterloo East will be closed.
Long-term improvement work at Carstairs will disrupt Easter journeys between Carlisle and Glasgow Central and Edinburgh, information from the Rail Delivery Group said.Long-term improvement work at Carstairs will disrupt Easter journeys between Carlisle and Glasgow Central and Edinburgh, information from the Rail Delivery Group said.
More than 10,200 flights are expected to depart from UK airports across the weekend, with Good Friday expected to be the busiest day. Sophie Earish, a student from Wembley Park, said her normal 20-minute tube journey to St Pancras took an hour because of closures on the Metropolitan and Jubilee lines.
When she arrived at St Pancras station, on her way to visit her partner in Loughborough, the 26-year-old said she then had to queue for an hour and a half for a train north.
“I didn’t realise Euston was closed this weekend causing this mess,” Earish said. “The queue to get to trains on the platforms were chaotic … why do they think it’s acceptable to do engineering works over the Easter weekend? It’s ridiculous, it seems to be the same every year.”
More than 10,200 flights are expected to depart UK airports across the weekend, with Good Friday expected to be the busiest day.
Congestion was reported on the M1, M4, M5, M6, M11, M20, M25, M27, M40, M56 and M61, as well as obstructions on the M1, M3, M6, M11, M23 and M25, according to Highways England data.
Traffic is expected to peak on Saturday with at least 15m car journeys expected to take place, the AA said.