Dover Chaos: Coaches Stuck for Seven Hours Amid Easter Holiday Mayhem
The Port of Dover declared a critical incident after coaches faced a staggering seven-hour wait to board ferries. The massive Easter getaway saw delays spiral, leaving holidaymakers stranded in long queues.
Weather and French Border Controls to Blame
Ferry giants P&O Ferries and DFDS Seaways confirmed severe disruptions on Friday evening. Bad weather and slow French border checks caused the chaos, piling pressure on the port.
DFDS took to Twitter around 9 p.m. to reveal coaches were stuck waiting up to seven hours from arrival at the port. Meanwhile, P&O Ferries provided refreshments to stranded passengers at the cruise terminal and scrambled to deliver food and drink to those stuck in buffer zones outside the port.
Port Authorities Apologise for the Nightmare
A Port of Dover spokesperson said: “The Port of Dover is deeply frustrated by last night’s and this morning’s situation, particularly on behalf of all the ferry operators’ coach passengers who have had to endure such a long wait.
They explained goods and car traffic moved steadily despite the heavy Easter rush and tough weather. However, coach delays hit breaking point due to lengthy French border processing and unprecedented volumes.
Despite careful pre-planning with ferry operators and border agencies, the extra coach bookings this Easter overwhelmed operations. The port offered a heartfelt apology for the prolonged waiting times and vowed to work tirelessly with partners to get travellers moving.
Ferry Firms Respond to the Crisis
DFDS also blamed bad weather and heavy coach traffic for today’s queues. Their spokesperson said the operator is keeping passengers updated online and transporting them on the next available sailing once checked in.
They added, “We have collaborated with coach operators to speed up the check-in process.”
P&O Ferries said the delays come down to the lengthy time required to clear French border controls, promising an extra sailing to help clear the backlog.
By Saturday morning, DFDS reported that transit from Stop 24 to the port was still slow, taking two to three hours, with an additional two-hour wait in the buffer zone.
