The BBC reports Eurostar, the Port of Dover and Eurotunnel are all investing heavily in equipment and processing areas in preparation for the new EU entry-exit system (EES), which is due to be implemented from autumn 2024.
The EES is an automated IT system that will register travellers from the UK and other non-EU countries using biometric checks such as fingertips and photos when they cross external EU borders.
According to the BBC, Eurostar has spent the equivalent of £8.5 million to fit in 49 new electronic kiosks around London St Pancras to process passengers more quickly and avoid them turning up earlier than they currently are.
“With our set-up, it will still be 45 to 90 minutes check-in time,” Eurostar chief stations and security officer Simon Lejeune said on Tuesday (28 May). “We’ve really planned intensely for this, making sure that we’ve got the best arrangements for our customers.”
Eurotunnel, on the other hand, has invested around £70 million to upscale its passenger processing zones while hiring an additional 70 assistance staff on each side of the tunnel.
Port of Dover boss Doug Bannister told the BBC the port has turned the western docks into a separate area to process coaches, with new halls and kiosks.
According to Bannister, coach passengers will register their biometric details at the kiosks and then reboard their coach. Once everyone has returned onboard, the coach will be sealed and will proceed directly to check-in.
Cars and other vehicles will instead go into the usual lanes, where they will be met by officers ready to register travellers’ details.
These reports of investment, though, come after wide-ranging doubts have been raised over the UK’s readiness for entry-exit.
Last week, a House of Lords committee called on the UK government to work alongside its counterparts in Brussels to ensure the EES rollout doesn’t coincide with the rollout of the UK’s new Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA), an Esta-style visa waiver scheme.
“Planning for a gradual and well coordinated implementation of the new schemes is vital to ensure similar chaos at our borders is avoided,” said committee chair Lord Foster of Bath on 20 May.
Foster’s comments were picked up by Kent transport and tourism leaders, who have pleaded for a smooth implementation of the new rules, as well as by foreign secretary David Cameron, who told MPs he was “really worried” about long delays.
“I think we’ve made some progress, but I think there are some big choke points at Dover and St Pancras – and I’m really worried about there being long delays for people,” he told the European Scrutiny committee on 20 May.
