Seven-Hour Delays Spark Critical Incident at Port of Dover
Coach passengers faced hellish delays of up to seven hours at the Port of Dover as a critical incident was declared amid Easter holiday chaos.
Massive Queues Hit Ferry Services
P&O Ferries and DFDS Seaways both reported severe delays on Friday evening. The nightmare wait times were blamed on heavy traffic, bad weather, and lengthy checks at the French border.
DFDS warned on Twitter just after 9pm that coaches were stuck for around seven hours before boarding. Meanwhile, P&O Ferries promised refreshments to stranded passengers and worked to bring food and drink to those stuck in the buffer zone.
French Border Controls and Weather Causing Havoc
The port said “deep frustration” at the situation, especially for coach travellers forced to endure long waits. While car and freight traffic moved steadily despite tricky weather, coach queues ballooned due to strict French border checks and huge volumes.
Despite extensive pre-planning, extra coach bookings for Easter have overwhelmed port operations,” a Port of Dover spokesperson admitted. “We apologise sincerely and continue working with partners to speed things up.”
DFDS confirmed poor weather combined with record traffic worsened delays, but they’re pushing to keep travellers updated and moving. They’ve also teamed up with coach operators to fast-track check-ins.
P&O Ferries apologised for slow processing times at French controls and added an extra sailing to clear the backlog.
Ongoing Delays Into Saturday Morning
As of 11.12am Saturday, DFDS reported coach transit from Stop 24 to Dover port still takes two to three hours, with an additional two hours wait in the buffer zone.
For holidaymakers, patience is key while the Port of Dover battles to get everyone moving again.
