Drivers stuck in huge queues as ‘Saturday scramble' begins with 3million drivers to hit the roads today
BUMPER TO BUMPER Drivers stuck in huge queues as 'Saturday scramble' begins with 3million drivers to hit the roads today
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THOUSANDS of drivers have been caught in mammoth queues todayas Brits rush off on holiday.
A staggering 3 million drivers are hitting the road today, as the dreaded 'Saturday Scramble' begins.
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Massive queues have built up at the Port of Dover
Credit: PA
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Even lorries have been seen queuing to get onto ferries
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On Thursday, the queues became so big that people waited outside of their cars
Credit: Gary Stone
The first weekend after the end of the school term is one of the busiest times to be a driver.
Millions of people make journeys on that hectic weekend, with that first Friday being nicknamed 'Frantic Friday' because of the road chaos caused by the huge number of trips.
However, this holiday weekend is expected to be even busier with a staggering 2.7 million people hitting the roads yesterday.
Today, that number is expected to skyrocket to 3 million in what the RAC has described as a "Saturday scramble".
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The huge surge in the number of drivers had led to massive queues across the country, not least at the Port of Dover.
Thousands of Brits are stuck at the transport terminal, in mammoth queues which can be seen stretching into the distance.
Even rows of lorries can be seen waiting to check-in at the terminals, as the queues continue to build.
The chaos at the Port of Dover has continued throughout the week, after an estimated 13.9 million people hit the roads between July 21 and July 25.
On Thursday, the queues became so big that drivers exited their cars and waited by the side of the road - despite warnings that this was unsafe.
Doug Bannister, chief executive at the Port of Dover, has previously said that the organisation has been 'preparing for a busy summer'.
Vehicles pile up at Dover for Bank Holiday weekend getaways
He said: 'We know how vital it is to keep things moving, not just for holidaymakers but for our local community too.
'That's why we've boosted staff levels, strengthened traffic management, added welfare facilities and introduced AI-powered forecasting - all to minimise disruption and ensure both residents and travellers have the best possible experience during this busy season.'
The Port is expecting a massive number of users over the weekend, with the estimated number of drivers expected to be as high as 40,000.
Over the next six weeks, the Port of Dover expects 270,000 drivers.
As one of the most popular ways of reaching France and the rest of continental Europe, the port welcomes thousands of ships a year.
The busy port has undergone a huge renovation in recent months, which reportedly cost a £6 billion.
Previously only able to accommodate ships with a maximum length of 320m, it can now allow boats of up to 350m to moor at Dover.
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Thousands of people are still waiting at Dover
Credit: PA
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