Ferry queues, rail strikes hit start of Britain's holidays
Jul 23, 2023
London [UK], July 23:Queues of traffic and rail strikes have hit travellers as they embark on trips after many schools across England broke up for the summer holidays.
The Port of Dover said it was taking about 90 minutes for departing passengers to pass through border checks.
It said traffic was moving "according to plan" at the English Channel port in Kent, with 15,901 passengers setting sail for France by 10am on Saturday.
A spokesman said: "If you miss your ferry, don't worry, you'll be on the next available sailing." P&O Ferries also updated passengers of Border Control queues and urged them to allow extra time to clear security checks. The summer getaway comes as a walkout by thousands of members of the Rail, Maritime and Transport union (RMT) disrupted services, with some areas having no trains all day.
The dispute over pay, jobs and conditions remains deadlocked after more than a year of industrial action.
An overtime ban by the drivers' union Aslef also hit services on Saturday.
With reduced services at 14 train companies where the RMT is striking, National Rail warned passengers that the "last trains during industrial action may be earlier than you think, with busier services and stations." Passengers were urged to plan their journeys in advance and to check with train operators before travelling.
Source: Qatar Tribune
