Rachel Johnson blames post-Brexit checks for Kent travel chaos

24 July 2022, 20:51

'Now every passport has to be examined!'

Extra checks introduced after Brexit are responsible for the transport chaos in Kent around Dover and Folkestone according to Rachel Johnson.

Over the past couple of days thousands of people have been trapped in traffic jams, some for as long as 16 hours, when trying to cross the channel to France.

Speaking on her LBC show Rachel argued this is because 'every passport has to be examined' now, as Britain has left the EU.

She said: "We don't have the Schengen wave where you could just waive your passport and you could board your ferry or get on the Eurotunnel and when you got to the channel port you could do the same. Now every passport has to be examined.

READ MORE: Move over, Dover - Folkestone becomes centre of 'holiday hell' amid huge Eurotunnel queues

'Right now I wouldn't go anywhere near Folkestone!'

"I don't think that, however many toll booths you build in Dover, you will be able to have a fast throughput of travel from this country to the continent. I'm afraid that's my position."

British officials have blamed the disruption on staffing problems at the French end whilst Calais mayor Natacha Bouchart blamed Brexit.