Brexit: Dover port to reclaim land from sea to prevent long queues

The Port of Dover wants to reclaim some of the English Channel to build more space and avoid the lengthy queues which have marked border controls since Brexit.

The Port’s chief executive Doug Bannister said building out in the sea could help avoid “unacceptable” delays, with yet more post-Brexit controls planned for 2024.

Mr Bannister has previously said it is “absolutely true” that are partly a consequence of the UK’s exit from the EU – and has warned a new system could lead to more disruption.

The new Entry Exit Scheme (EES) was originally set to start in 2021, but have been pushed back and are now expected to come in during autumn next year.

It will mean everyone entering the EU will have to provide their fingerprints and a photograph alongside their passport, a process expected to increase time spent on checks.

Mr Bannister told the BBC that there were plans to reclaim land at Dover’s western docks. He wants to extend development to it can be used by passengers once the new passport system starts.

The port chief wants the government to help meet the additional £2m needed to speed up the work, saying commitments had to be made “imminently” so work can begin in spring.

The Independent revealed earlier this year that the EU’s electronic border scheme will not now go ahead this year because the database on which it depends will not be ready in time.

Getlink, the owner of Eurotunnel, has already committed £100m to create a new area for the EES checks at 75 stands.

Recent years has seen continual disruption at Dover, with trucks and vehicles held up for more than 24 hours at different times, with queues of 20 miles during periods of traffic gridlock.

Hauliers some of the worst problems at the start of 2022 when time-consuming checks were needed for the UK government’s new Goods Vehicle Movement Service (GVMS) system and other export paperwork.

This Easter saw another wave of issues, with holidaymakers waiting of up to 18 hours at the Kent port. Home secretary Suella Braverman insisted that Brexit was not to blame.

But Mr Bannister said it is “absolutely true” that queues at the port, first seen last summer, are a consequence of the UK’s exit from the EU. Since Brexit, every passport must now be scanned and stamped.

But this summer so no prolonged disruption, despite the busiest period since before the Covid pandemic. The average wait time at the port this summer was 41 minutes during busy periods.