Holidaymakers faced two-hour queues as they head off for summer holidays

Holidaymakers heading to the Port of Dover faced two-hour queues as they flocked towards the cross-Channel ferry service.

The Kent port this morning said queues for passing through checks by French border officials reached two hours for coaches this morning (July 7), with cars waiting an hour and a half.

In a message to waiting passengers, the port stated: “Today is already proving a popular travel day at Dover, and the port is busy processing strong volumes of tourist traffic.

“Teams from the port, Police aux Frontieres and our ferry operators are working to get you through as swiftly as possible.”

Travellers were left dismayed by the news. One tweeted: “We’re sitting in a queue that hasn’t moved in the last 90 minutes – so if you have any alternative to travel through Port of Dover then you should take it.”

Another said: “You should open more counters and more staff as well will help flow the traffic and have automation systems in place if possible to have like E Gates like they have in airports will help alot.”

While a third tweeted: “I mean it’s common sense that coming to the summer period the volumes will increase. Operators know how many to expect as you have to book prior to the event.”

Passengers were stuck on coaches for more than 10 hours at the start of the Easter school holiday period.

Delays in processing passengers have been blamed on French border officials carrying out extra checks and stamping UK passports following Brexit.

Dover TAP, designed to stop the port town being clogged up with traffic, has been put in place for lorries on Friday.

This involves freight traffic queuing on the left hand land of the A20 until there is space for them at the port.

Ferry operator DFDS said customers who miss their booked departure will be put on the next available sailing.