Channel Crossings: UK and France Boost Border Staff to Head Off Summer Travel Meltdown

Fearing a repeat of last spring's four-hour tailbacks at Dover, the UK and France have struck a last-minute deal to put more officers at border checkpoints. The move comes as the EU's new biometric entry-exit system (EES) continues to gum up the works, with MPs warning of "utter chaos and miles of tailbacks" unless the system is fixed or suspended. The EU has refused to suspend the checks, but French officials have privately assured Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander they will deploy extra staff to keep queues moving.

On Sunday, Alexander announced £20 million in UK funding to expand vehicle processing capacity and reduce wait times. Her French counterpart, Philippe Tabarot, agreed that "high levels of resourcing" at border points were essential for smoother summer travel. French border police have offered to station more officers on UK soil at Dover, Folkestone, and London St Pancras, where Eurostar departs. The exact number of additional French staff remains unclear, but Alexander made clear the biometric kiosks used for fingerprints and facial scans are not working properly.

The Port of Dover expects nearly 50% more vehicles this summer—around 12,000 cars a day next weekend alone, triple the usual volume. The EU has identified 20 "difficult spots" linked to the new checks, including Dover, but dismissed calls from airports and airlines to suspend the EES. The system, designed to tighten borders after the 2015–2016 Paris and Brussels attacks, was finally rolled out last October after years of delays. Since April, all UK passengers entering Schengen countries must scan their passport, have their photo taken, and provide fingerprints. Alexander said she has raised holidaymakers' concerns directly with the EU transport commissioner, vowing to "do everything in my power to help holidaymakers on their way."