Brits furious with French after holidaymakers stuck in traffic jams for six hours to cross Channel: ‘We’ve been abandoned’ | Abroad

The British are furious at the false start of their summer holidays. “This terrible situation is unacceptable and could have been avoided,” said Lizz Truss, Britain’s foreign secretary and candidate to succeed Boris Johnson as prime minister, averting further disruption for British tourists. Tory MP Natalie Elphicke said ‘the French didn’t show up for work in Dover’.

Since the British left the European Union, border controls between the United Kingdom and France have become stricter. If you want to board a ferry in Dover or take your car on a cross-Channel train, you must already clear French passport control on the English side. The port authority was already talking about a “critical incident” in the morning. Port boss Doug Bannister blamed the “incredible understaffing” of French border guards. “We were disappointed this morning after planning this day for months.”

Traffic jams with Britons waiting have grown so long that P&O Ferries has urged passengers to arrive at the port at least six hours in advance.

The French clarified that a busy day was taken into account and that there was no shortage of crew. However, their work was reportedly hampered by an “unexpected technical incident”. The French say they are ‘working together’ to avoid problems in the days to come. Port boss Bannister predicts trouble again for Saturday. “It will be a busy day.”