Dover, UK: 9 August 2023 – The Port of Dover has seen its extensive planning pay off with a successful start to the summer getaway, helping 860,000 passengers on their holidays so far, with border processing times averaging less than 40 minutes during peak hours.
Since the summer holidays commenced on Friday 21st July, the Port has helped 859,239 passengers, 201,275 cars, 4,199 coaches and 96,525 freight vehicles through Dover. These volumes confirm Dover’s position as the UK’s number one port for the summer getaway, as holidaymakers opt to travel via the country’s shortest sea crossing to France, enjoying the choice of three operators and the flexibility of multiple sailings per hour.
Meticulous preparation by the Port of Dover, its ferry operators, and Police aux Frontières, together with all other operational partners, saw average border processing times of 40 minutes on the first weekend of the summer holidays (21-23 July), 35 minutes on the second (28-30 July) and 23 minutes on the third (4-6 August). The maximum processing time planned for of up to 2.5 hours was confined to the morning of the busiest day (Saturday 29th July) and did not exceed 90 minutes across the other two peak getaway weekends.
Doug Bannister, CEO, Port of Dover, says: “This holiday period was a significant test, as it was Dover’s first full summer getaway under post-Brexit border controls and with traffic volumes back up to pre-pandemic levels. Despite huge demand, we have succeeded in getting passengers and vehicles away well within our planned timeframes.
“Even at the busiest times, Dover remains a very popular choice, for good reason. Our advance arrival time of 2-3 hours prior to your sailing is similar to an airport, but our process is simpler and often faster and less stressful. With us, your baggage stays with you throughout your journey, rather than having to be recovered upon your arrival. A Dover sailing also means having to pass border control only once, upon departure. You’re therefore ready to continue your journey the moment you drive off the ferry in France, rather than having to join another queue at immigration. Lastly, the anxiety of missing a departure is removed because we will place you on the next available sailing.”
Bannister adds: “Alongside our thanks to our operational partners – P&O Ferries, DFDS Ferries and Irish Ferries, Police aux Frontières, National Highways and Kent Police – we wish to reiterate our special thanks to the Dover community for their understanding on the busiest summer weekends since 2019. In addition to securing the best possible passenger experience, minimising community disruption has been the core purpose of our extensive planning, including measures such as ensuring the resourcing of key town junctions with traffic officers during the peak hours. We’re grateful to residents for their support during these popular weekends, as we work hard to keep the local network moving. We will carry on liaising with local stakeholders, such as Kent Resilience Forum and Dover District Council, to serve the local community’s interest.”
The Port of Dover gives the following advice to passengers to ensure they have the best start to their holidays this summer:
- Allow plenty of time for your journey, but do not arrive more than three hours before your allotted sailing.
- If you do experience any issues, rest assured, you will be placed on the next available sailing.
- Travel to the Ferry Terminal via main routes only to avoid causing traffic delays for yourself and local residents.
- Do not arrive at the Port without a booking.
- Have sufficient food, snacks and entertainment with you to ensure the most comfortable journey.
- Have passports open and ready before border controls to allow the quickest possible transit and reduce the waiting time for other vehicles.
For more information and summer travel advice, visit: portofdover.com/ferry/travel-advice/summer-holidays
