New Passport checks

[Cleoriff]

I saw this the other day...I didn't read much of it as I thought it was old news....

Not so it appears.

NEW passport checks to be introduced at British borders next month could lead to long queues at, and on the way to ports and the Eurotunnel The checks start on April 8, with the introduction delayed for a week to avoid the Easter weekend

Eurotunnel's public affairs director John Keefe warned the new arrangement could push the managing-of-borders approach "beyond the level of capacity of the system”.

The new arrangement means ferry companies will have to put every passport through a scanner to provide an electronic record which is sent to the Home Office.

I am posting this as I know many people will be taking driving holidays abroad this year

https://uk.cars.yahoo.com/news/queues-warning-passport-checks-100500311.html

[paulbacon]

Having used Dover a few times to cross into France, its always amazed me the lack of security compared to getting on a plane. We had loads of camping gear in the back of our car once, they asked us what it was and once we told them let us on. No checking, scanning or whatever. Could have anything in there

Same when going on the ferry to Amsterdam. May have changed now but a few years back we didnt even go through an xray machine or have our baggage scanned

[Cleoriff]

I can confirm that as well @paulbacon 

We have travelled to France and Spain many times using either our car or once (and never to be repeated... a coach)  Security was a token gesture of guards at check out points just waving you through onto the ferry...

In fact it's a damn sight harder to get in and out of Gibraltar from Spain by car or coach... Though that's more for political reasons ....as opposed to Border Security

[paulbacon]

I once got an a very small (16 seater) internal flight in Tanzania and they didnt even check your passport

They ask for your name, if it matches whats on the manifest you get on. And luggage, well you throw that on the plane yourself so no checking at all. Crazy really

[Anonymous]

To be fair most of the time Border Control know who they are looking for before you even get there. Security Services know so much about us already. Not everything but they do know alot.

[jonsie]

These types of checks should be implemented coming into the UK, for all the stringent checks they claim to carry out it seems far much easier to get in than out.

[Cleoriff]

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@Anonymous wrote:
To be fair most of the time Border Control know who they are looking for before you even get there. Security Services know so much about us already. Not everything but they do know alot.

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Mmmmm..... Maybe...though they have been failing badly in recent months with all the underage folk travelling abroad to join terrorist organisations..... Even those not underage but who are 'persons of interest' to our government...

[Anonymous]

Hehe hence my term "most" lol 😆😆😆😆

[viridis]

Having used eurostar a few times, this won't have much negative impact,
The turnstiles are automatic and then the security Gates already have a passport check i recall, just after they x-ray your bags.
Ferry is a different story altogether.