A big day in Dover

I posted in early February about our concerns over the potential impact of the EU’s introduction of its Entry Exit System (EES) on traffic and other disruption in Kent. Since then, I’ve had the opportunity to visit both Eurotunnel and the Port of Dover to see their preparations, and government has emphasised its recognition of the importance of the issue and the actions it is taking to address it. (A good example of this was the session of the European Scrutiny Committee, to which I had previously given evidence, on 1 May with Home Office Minister Tom Pursglove and Transport Minister Guy Opperman). 

Today Radio 4’s PM Programme was broadcast from Dover; the intended focus was on the EES issue, and I was interviewed towards the end of the programme. All of which was somewhat upended by the announcement at lunchtime that Dover’s Conservative MP, Natalie Elphicke, had crossed the floor to Labour. 

Nonetheless, EES did get some coverage; my interview is towards the end, at about 53 minutes in. After some unsurprising questions about the MP, I was able to put across both the work that is being done and the continuing risks and challenges. What we need is early sharing of national data so that we are clear as to what must be done; as much as possible to secure pre-registration to ease the pressure on the highly constrained Port site; funding to address some of the local needs, such as road maintenance on heavily used diversion routes and driver welfare sites and facilities; and recognition that, while this is an issue playing out in Kent, it is also of national significance and impact.