Holidaymakers are facing more long queues into the Port of Dover on Saturday as a “blame game” erupted over six-hour delays faced by travellers seeking to go abroad at the start of the summer getaway.
The port’s chief executive blamed “woefully inadequate” staffing at French border control for the long queues as a “critical incident” was declared.
However French police later said that problems with traffic coming over from Dover had been caused by an “unexpected technical incident” under the Channel Tunnel.
But operators Eurtunnel said the problems at Dover started before the “minor” technical issue occured.
Foreign Secretary Liz Truss has labelled the delays and queues at Dover “unacceptable”, calling it an “entirely avoidable” situation.
P&O Ferries told passengers to allow “at least six hours” to clear all security checks on Friday while some lorry drivers have said it is “the worst” disruption they have ever experienced at the port.
The ferry operator said Saturday will be just as busy as Friday.
It comes as a fuel price protest took place on the M5, with a slow moving convoy of vehicles clearing the motorway within hours causing only minimal disruption to traffic.
Protest groups have threatened to cause chaos at others site throughout the day.
