Travel Chaos.

[Scott_rider]

It's only my opinion but I think the design of the eurotunnel port, in general, has never been good. The massive terminal where you can buy food and drinks is all well and good but after that there is just a sort of snack wagon (albeit permanent) as you wait in the lanes to be called onto the train. We have waited in those, sometimes, for at least an hour. I would have thought it would be better to get everyone through passport control and then into the terminal before being advised to 'board', whenever that may be? A bit like they do at airports where you go into 'duty free and the departure lounge' after you've done all the other stuff...

[simonw]

Yep. Interesting replies, and I quite agree, Brexit is the issue. However the thrust of the question was to inquire how the bikers were faring during the long hot stationary waiting, Or we’re they prioritized in some way? Anyone know??

No, Brexit is only part of the issue. The design (as scott_rider says in his later post) is also very poor, unless you come in from the motorway side. Both the entrance and exit for non-M20 users are tiny and don't have the capacity at peak times. All of the traffic was queing down the single carriageway A20 for mile in both directions, with no shade, no refreshments, no information, no toilet facilities etc.

When you run things at nigh on 90% capacity as standard, it doesn't take much of a hiccup to screw it all up. Ports, NHS, Michael Buble concerts, whatever.

[Brenhden]

Yep. Interesting replies, and I quite agree, Brexit is the issue. However the thrust of the question was to inquire how the bikers were faring during the long hot stationary waiting, Or we’re they prioritized in some way? Anyone know??

No, Brexit is only part of the issue. The design (as scott_rider says in his later post) is also very poor, unless you come in from the motorway side. Both the entrance and exit for non-M20 users are tiny and don't have the capacity at peak times. All of the traffic was queing down the single carriageway A20 for mile in both directions, with no shade, no refreshments, no information, no toilet facilities etc.

When you run things at nigh on 90% capacity as standard, it doesn't take much of a hiccup to screw it all up. Ports, NHS, Michael Buble concerts, whatever.

As much as I love blaming everything on brexit (and I really do), there is an obvious problem with the geography of Dover that means it's a bottleneck. Calais is a massive sprawling flat place. Dover could be designed a bit better and also made to look a lot nicer, it's grim.

[Spike941]

Yes it is a busy time of year, but the brexiteers voted to have our passports stamped in and out of the EU. That’s what took the time. I know, I was there. Prior to this, I never experienced such queues on any of my many pre Brexit crossings, so to say it’s not another Brexit benefit is utter nonsense. Always take an umbrella to protect against rain and sun in such eventualities, and don’t go during school holidays.

[Billy Bananahead]

I've just returned from France by ferry from St Malo to Portsmouth and the ferry was virtually empty both ways.
Could it be that travellers are using the tunnel in the hope it will save them a few quid and not realising that they are a long way off their destination and are then using the money saved on the crossing by spending more on fuel? JAT.
There were no hold ups due to passports getting stamped in and out, the only thing that annoys me is that every time i go abroad i get stopped by security to see what's in my van. They see the bike and i'm away.

[Spike941]

Yep, I much prefer using the ferries if heading further south, but hold ups aren’t half as bad at passport control only dealing with a hand full of ferries in and out of Pompy every day. Slightly more using Dover and the Eurotunnel. Still didn’t need our passports stamped before this mess.

[Billy Bananahead]

Yes, Brexit was the biggest mistake this country ever made. But that's another story.

[simonw]

Where's daveuprite when you need him most?! (Actually, serious question, is he ok? Haven't seen him on here for ages.)

[IanB]

Yeah, he's OK
I spoke to him and he's taking some time out.

[Richard Simpson Mark II]

The brutal truth is, that so much of our transport network, from London's sewage system (running at 80% even in this dry weather) to the roads, is so close to 100% capacity in normal operation that just a tiny delay can tip the thing into over-saturation.
Over-population, under-investment and decades of cans being kicked down metaphorical roads. And private companies, governments, and politicians from all parties, do it as a habit. Lack of capacity is now sold to us as efficiency.