Holiday rush

[Lady Whistledown]

Not sure I've ever noticed anything trending on Twitter.

That's the major problem with you being such a technophobe.

 

[JC Footy Genius]

Ferry passengers travelling to the Port of Dover are facing major delays due to increased French security checks.

There are lengthy waits at the port with many people stranded overnight and huge numbers stuck in traffic.

Kent Police said there are delays of between three and five hours on roads into Dover. Motorists have described the traffic as "horrendous".

Checks have now been relaxed and waiting time at the holding area is 40 minutes, the port said.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-kent-36873632

I know the French authorities must be seen to be doing as much as possible after the horrendous string of attacks but are increased border checks with the UK really a top priority. Most of the terrorists are homegrown or come from other European mainland countries with porous borders or via migrant routes.

A case of closing the wrong stable door long after the horse has bolted?

 

[studio150]

spot on
and you could always have a staycation and spend your money in the UK

And instead of sitting in queues on the M2 you do exactly the same on the M6 or M5

 

[glasfryn]

And instead of sitting in queues on the M2 you do exactly the same on the M6 or M5

why use them then are they the only roads

 

[dazzer6666]

spot on
and you could always have a staycation and spend your money in the UK

Hmm. I bet the A303 and M5 into the westcountry are not much fun today either.........miles of barely-moving caravans

 

[Thunder Bolt]

Ferry passengers travelling to the Port of Dover are facing major delays due to increased French security checks.

There are lengthy waits at the port with many people stranded overnight and huge numbers stuck in traffic.

Kent Police said there are delays of between three and five hours on roads into Dover. Motorists have described the traffic as "horrendous".

Checks have now been relaxed and waiting time at the holding area is 40 minutes, the port said.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-kent-36873632

I know the French authorities must be seen to be doing as much as possible after the horrendous string of attacks but are increased border checks with the UK really a top priority. Most of the terrorists are homegrown or come from other European mainland countries with porous borders or via migrant routes.

A case of closing the wrong stable door long after the horse has bolted?

Want to take out hundreds of people, all in one suicide? Blow yourself up on a ferry, or in the middle of the Eurotunnel.

 

[Westdene Seagull]

I drove to France a few years back in the summer hols. Never ever again. You just know 2 days of your journey will be sat in tailbacks to any number of French toll booths (3 mile queues to each one), under manned borders, the M25 or caravans.

It's not a holiday sat in traffic for 2 days solid.

I drive to France ( obviously after the ferry from Newhaven ) at least 4 times a year as my parents have a house in the Loire Valley. Never had any problem with tailbacks once out of Dieppe but then I don't use the toll roads. Lovely country.

 

[Thunder Bolt]

I drive to France ( obviously after the ferry from Newhaven ) at least 4 times a year as my parents have a house in the Loire Valley. Never had any problem with tailbacks once out of Dieppe but then I don't use the toll roads. Lovely country.

There are plenty of N routes which are often quicker than the toll motorways.

 

[Raleigh Chopper]

Hmm. I bet the A303 and M5 into the westcountry are not much fun today either.........miles of barely-moving caravans

Yep as usual. To be fair unless there is an accident it is not too bad travelling down, it's the returning home bit, the M5 is a traffic jam from Weston Super Mare to Taunton at the weekends northbound. The A303 is just not worth bothering with unless you are lucky.
Next weekend I am in Eastbourne for a wedding and as usual in the summer I will leave at about 8pm on Friday and drive through the night, it's the only way, in fact it's great.

 

[smudge]

I have never been across to France by car ferry or the tunnel. I never will; just seems like a hellish experience to me, at any time.

 

[beorhthelm]

I drive to France ( obviously after the ferry from Newhaven ) at least 4 times a year as my parents have a house in the Loire Valley. Never had any problem with tailbacks once out of Dieppe but then I don't use the toll roads. Lovely country.

more ferries and shorter crossing time draws people to Dover. the long crossing Newhaven-Dieppe or others is a trade off for no queues. though i'd rather be on a boat for 4 hours, with the facilities available, than hours in a traffic jam. under used service because people are daft and dont think it through.

 

[Thunder Bolt]

I have never been across to France by car ferry or the tunnel. I never will; just seems like a hellish experience to me, at any time.

Eurotunnel is the easiest one. You book everything online, do your passport checks online before you go, as you arrive there is number plate recognition, so confirm the booking number on a keypad. We've never waited more than half an hour to board the train, 35 minutes later, you're in France driving straight off the train onto the roads out of Calais. We've been at all times of the year.

Coming back from Calais, we have been held up twice in 15 years. Once because a train had broken down, so we had a two hour delay, and the second time was the day after the Paris attacks in November when security checks were very stringent making us an hour later than was intended.

 

[Westdene Seagull]

I have never been across to France by car ferry or the tunnel. I never will; just seems like a hellish experience to me, at any time.

You're missing out then. The trip to Newhaven is a breeze ( well from Hove it is ). Rarely wait more than 30 minutes to board and the ferry is often half empty. Bit of lunch ( picnic or purchased on board ) and a beer and a relaxing four hours with a book. Dock and 30 minutes later you're into rural France.

Then coming back you're 30 minutes from Brighton once docked. None of the crowds of Dover ( or Euro Tunnel ).

The only down side is that the Newhaven crews don't seem able to match the speed of unloading the boat like their Dover counterparts.

 

[GingerBeerMan]

Ferry passengers travelling to the Port of Dover are facing major delays due to increased French security checks.

There are lengthy waits at the port with many people stranded overnight and huge numbers stuck in traffic.

Kent Police said there are delays of between three and five hours on roads into Dover. Motorists have described the traffic as "horrendous".

Checks have now been relaxed and waiting time at the holding area is 40 minutes, the port said.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-kent-36873632

I know the French authorities must be seen to be doing as much as possible after the horrendous string of attacks but are increased border checks with the UK really a top priority. Most of the terrorists are homegrown or come from other European mainland countries with porous borders or via migrant routes.

A case of closing the wrong stable door long after the horse has bolted?

My thoughts too. Any guns and IS members entering France won't go via Britain will they.

 

[The Andy Naylor Fan Club]

I drove back from Cornwall this morning. Uneventful driving East but A30 & A38 in places heading West had big chunks of queuing traffic. Nowhere near as bad as the M27 going West before Southampton, must have been a good 5 - 8 miles of tailbacks. Sod that in this weather.

 

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

You're missing out then. The trip to Newhaven is a breeze ( well from Hove it is ). Rarely wait more than 30 minutes to board and the ferry is often half empty. Bit of lunch ( picnic or purchased on board ) and a beer and a relaxing four hours with a book. Dock and 30 minutes later you're into rural France.

Then coming back you're 30 minutes from Brighton once docked. None of the crowds of Dover ( or Euro Tunnel ).

The only down side is that the Newhaven crews don't seem able to match the speed of unloading the boat like their Dover counterparts.

Used to love the Argus '£1 per foot passenger' pre-Xmas offer. Cut a couple of vouchers out of the paper and have yourself a very merry jolly boys outing. Scènes merveilleux!

 

[thedonkeycentrehalf]

Come to Wales, it's wonderful

Holidayed in Wales twice - I always thought that the Rhod Gilbert stories about it always raining were stretching artistic licence but found out he was just telling true stories! Beautiful country but just too wet for my liking.

 

[swindonseagull]

spot on
and you could always have a staycation and spend your money in the UK

No thanks

 

[swindonseagull]

Mate took 8 hours to get from the A20 to the ferry, when he arrived at the passport checks only 3 of the 7 booths ( manned by french) were open.

My ferry is next Saturday....hopefully it will be better than today,

 

[Driver8]

Mate took 8 hours to get from the A20 to the ferry, when he arrived at the passport checks only 3 of the 7 booths ( manned by french) were open.

My ferry is next Saturday....hopefully it will be better than today,

Leave now and you should be OK.