StuartO Posted September 28, 2014 Share Posted September 28, 2014 We returned from holiday via Calais early last Saturday morning, driving aloing the A16 to the docks at about 0645, still dark. No sign of migrants or police. We were however held up at the Passport Control, where only two lanes were open, despite a queue of over twenty vehicles for each, getting longer by the minute. Eventually, as the queue must have reached over half a mile, they opened a third lane. I cannot believe that the British Border Control had only two staff memebers availalble on duty for this job for this job. We were held up for half an hour or so getting through at Eurotunnel a couple of years ago at a similar time on a Saturday. The Officer who we eventually got to at the window was a going deliberately slowly and making a real meal of things and eventually I asked for his name and when he refused asked to see his boss. This cost us another at keast another fifteen minutes of hold up waiting fior the supervisor which the guy had clearly deliberately engineered in revenge. I still got no names, just the "Warrant Number" of the Supervisor and a leaflet about making complaints. It turned put thay had ten staff on duty but eight of them were inside the office waiting to process coaches which were expected - of which there had been no sign for that 30 minutes we'd been in the queue so it was obviously just an excuse for not working efficiently. (I intended to compalin about thei but by the time I'd got home I had calmed down decided that I couldn't be bothered.) If you ever feel inclined to complain about poor service at Border Control wait until you have your passports back in hand (so they can't hang on to them and pull that trick of holding you up for having the nerve to want to complain) and then ask for the Officer's Warrant Number. Apparently they have to give you this on demand. This time I spotted that they were about to open an extra lane and managed to get off the mark quickly to exploit it. The Offocer was friendly and efficient and had us through in less than 30 seconds. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest JudgeMental Posted September 28, 2014 Share Posted September 28, 2014 we avoid weekend travel if we can..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cattwg Posted September 28, 2014 Share Posted September 28, 2014 Glad to hear the situation for passengers has improved at Calais. I wonder why the Border Control officers were being so obstructive? We have always found them to be, yes official but pleasant and efficient enough. Cattwg :-D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Billggski Posted September 28, 2014 Share Posted September 28, 2014 Only two lanes open last week, but ahead of me were two coaches, one had all the passengers disembarked and sitting on their luggage, the van ahead of me had a Romanian number plate, a BMW on a trailer, and handed in twelve passports for checking. Needless to say it was also pulled over. What do you want? Being held up for half an hour because they are expecting an influx at any moment, or all nationalities being waved through without checking! They can't win. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StuartO Posted September 28, 2014 Author Share Posted September 28, 2014 Billggski - 2014-09-28 11:01 AM Only two lanes open last week, but ahead of me were two coaches, one had all the passengers disembarked and sitting on their luggage, the van ahead of me had a Romanian number plate, a BMW on a trailer, and handed in twelve passports for checking. Needless to say it was also pulled over. What do you want? Being held up for half an hour because they are expecting an influx at any moment, or all nationalities being waved through without checking! They can't win. If you've been in a slow-moving queue for over half an hour and the Officer then starts making a deliberate, laborious meal of things in an obviously jobsworth, pain-in-the-arse way, I think we taxpayers have a right to be concerned - and to complain. I know they have a difficult job to do but that's no excuse for doing it badly. (In comparrison the guy this time was quick and efficient and because we were a pair of obviously middle-aged native Brits maybe it was reasonable to make a quick job of it - although actually I would have been a bit more impressed if he had asked a few questions about where we had spent the night and whether all our locker doors were checked and secure.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Randonneur Posted September 28, 2014 Share Posted September 28, 2014 It seems to me that it would solve all the French immigration problems if the UK Border Control was on UK soil and not at Calais. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KeithR Posted September 28, 2014 Share Posted September 28, 2014 i think the only way to ease the problem is if illegal immigrants were to stay in the first euro country they land in, rather than crossing much of europe to reach the U.K. But that cant happen whilst the UK is a more lucrative option. to change the rules and fully protect our shores we would need to leave european control. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StuartO Posted September 28, 2014 Author Share Posted September 28, 2014 The guys who are accumulating in Calais at the moemnt are mostly from North East Africa and I understand they are entering the EU via Italy. Italy is having a cope with boat loads coming across the Med, where their coast rivide the short crossing - and understandably they are glad to see the back of them if they choose to head for France to try to get into UK. The "pull" factors of the UK economy (and benefit system) are why they all pile up in Calais. It's not at all clear that there is a viable political solution. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lennyhb Posted September 28, 2014 Share Posted September 28, 2014 Came back this morning, 4 lanes open at Calias wraited about 5 min to go through. New layout at Dover right hand lane by-passes custom shed, took less then 10 min from boat docking to being on the road fastest we have ever got out of docks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tonyishuk Posted September 28, 2014 Share Posted September 28, 2014 Randonneur - 2014-09-28 2:44 PM It seems to me that it would solve all the French immigration problems if the UK Border Control was on UK soil and not at Calais. Problem is that once on UK soil, immigrants have made final base with all privileges paid. In reality, it is an EU problem but not reported by the UK press, making the the UK ""as attractive" as the other countries may make some of the immigrants stop over en route. Rgds Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snowie Posted September 28, 2014 Share Posted September 28, 2014 tonyishuk - 2014-09-28 6:06 PM In reality, it is an EU problem but not reported by the UK press, making the the UK ""as attractive" as the other countries may make some of the immigrants stop over en route. Rgds You're right an EU problem, and it would be the same if we were not in the EU. The UK is an attractive destination, and seeing what's going on in the places people are fleeing from, it's difficult not to sympathise. How it could be better for all concerned won't be helped by us turning our backs on the EU, might even be a lot worse, regards, alan b Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
derek pringle Posted September 29, 2014 Share Posted September 29, 2014 Hi all, I am afraid I would prefer everything going through one lane albeit slowly providing thorough checks were being carried out. Hold ups for the sake of it are annoying though. cheers derek Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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