Port of Dover braces itself for busy bank holiday weekend

The Port of Dover is standing by to handle the high volumes of traffic anticipated this Bank Holiday weekend, which is always traditionally a busy weekend with families taking advantage of the last long weekend of summer and returning from their summer holidays on the Continent.

With the anticipated strike by Eurotunnel staff in France, the Port of Dover is expecting to handle significantly more passengers over the holiday period.

Contingency plans are in hand to make sure that all traffic transiting the Port of Dover is handled efficiently and safely at all times and staff with be working especially hard to ensure that everything runs smoothly.

Port of Dover General Manager, Port Operations, Kevin Richardson, says: "We advise passengers to book in advance with ferry operators to avoid disappointment and to allow extra time to get to the Port. We also advise passengers to check with their ferry operator before travelling."

Provision of extra shipping capacity has been put in place by both P&O Ferries and SeaFrance who will be laying on additional sailings from Dover to Calais over the Bank Holiday weekend in response to the threatened industrial action at Eurotunnel.

Passengers travelling this weekend are urged to use the M2/A2 route into Dover to avoid anticipated lorry queues on the M20/A20, particularly at the approach to the Roundhill Tunnels.