Travellers through the Port of Dover are waiting up to two hours to get through border controls, officials have warned, as rail strikes hit the country.
Nine-lane-wide queues have filled the approach to where French border guards are checking passports.
On Twitter, Port of Dover officials told people overnight not to arrive more than three hours before their sailing time but by 7am Saturday morning, they warned that travellers were waiting two hours to be processed.
They wrote: “The current average processing time through to the border is 120 minutes, as per our peak travel plan for the busiest times. Rest assured, you will be on the next available sailing upon reaching check-in.”
An hour later, waiting times had come down slightly. Officials said: “The average processing time is now between 90–120 minutes. Thank you for your patience as we get everyone on their way as quick as possible.”
It comes as members of the Rail, Maritime and Transport union walked out for the day, leading to the widespread cancellation of train services.
Passengers were advised to check their travel arrangements as the strike will see wide variations in services across the country, with trains starting later and finishing much earlier than usual.
In some areas only about half of train services will run, while others will have no services at all.
The union has been embroiled in the dispute for over a year, with no sign of a breakthrough.
Controversial plans to close most ticket offices have worsened the dispute.
There were picket lines outside railway stations across England on Saturday.
A Rail Delivery Group spokesman said the strike would disrupt the plans of families during the summer holidays.
“This will lead to disappointment, frustration and financial strain for tens of thousands of people.
“We apologise for the inconvenience caused and understand the impact on individuals and businesses.
“Our advice is to check before you travel.”
Louise Haigh, shadow transport secretary, has written to transport secretary Mark Harper, telling him to “get back to work” and sit down with rail unions and operators to end the strikes.
Labour said the transport secretary has not met either of the two rail unions at the centre of the rail strikes since before Christmas last year.
Ms Haigh said: “The fact that Mark Harper has refused to do his job whilst the British public have faced over a year of rail chaos is unacceptable.
“The very least we should expect from the transport secretary is to sit down with the unions and rail operators, to try and reach an agreement to end these strikes for good.
“The fact he has failed to do even that means we can safely add the transport secretary to the list of things that do not work in Britain anymore.”
