customs action

[chaz]

from eurotunnel web site  , good news.

 

Industrial action by French Customs is now over

Good news the industrial action carried out by French Customs is now permanently over. An agreement was signed which means an end to the increased checks which have sporadically affected the cross Channel flow over the last couple of months.

[Don Regiano]

On 22/05/2019 at 15:26, chaz said:

from eurotunnel web site  , good news.

 

Industrial action by French Customs is now over

Good news the industrial action carried out by French Customs is now permanently over. An agreement was signed which means an end to the increased checks which have sporadically affected the cross Channel flow over the last couple of months.

 

Don't you believe it.

 

Yesterday we were unfortunate enough to be one of the 7 vehicles the Douanes diverted so that they could play with their new toy - their x-ray machine.  As the time spent in processing one vehicle was excruciatingly long and we were 6th in the queue we had to wait for the best part of 30 minutes before being processed.  Our situation was exacerbated by the fact that we had two labradors with us who we had to unleash, get out of the car and then leash up again.  We had arrived a good 80 minutes before departure but because of the delay got on the train about 10 minutes before it was due to depart.  Recognising how slow the process was, why on earth didn't Douane just pull over 3 cars and then when the final car was being processed, pull over another 3.  That would have more than halved the delay for those unfortunate enough to be selected.  Yes, I know all about ensuring you arrive in time but allowing yet more time on the off chance that you might be one of the unfortunates to be selected is ridiculous.  We just sat and watched loads of other vehicles just being waived through so there was absolutely no need to pull over so many vehicles at a time. 

Oh, and just to add balance, the same thing occurs at Folkestone except it is only for the swabbing which takes much less time than the x-ray.

[healdav]

13 hours ago, Don Regiano said:

 

Don't you believe it.

 

Yesterday we were unfortunate enough to be one of the 7 vehicles the Douanes diverted so that they could play with their new toy - their x-ray machine.  As the time spent in processing one vehicle was excruciatingly long and we were 6th in the queue we had to wait for the best part of 30 minutes before being processed.  Our situation was exacerbated by the fact that we had two labradors with us who we had to unleash, get out of the car and then leash up again.  We had arrived a good 80 minutes before departure but because of the delay got on the train about 10 minutes before it was due to depart.  Recognising how slow the process was, why on earth didn't Douane just pull over 3 cars and then when the final car was being processed, pull over another 3.  That would have more than halved the delay for those unfortunate enough to be selected.  Yes, I know all about ensuring you arrive in time but allowing yet more time on the off chance that you might be one of the unfortunates to be selected is ridiculous.  We just sat and watched loads of other vehicles just being waived through so there was absolutely no need to pull over so many vehicles at a time. 

Oh, and just to add balance, the same thing occurs at Folkestone except it is only for the swabbing which takes much less time than the x-ray.

Last year we arrived about 90 minutes before the ferry left Dunkirk. due to the complete stupidity of the British system (I'll bet you didn't know that the immigration clerk arrives in Calais on the first ferry and nothing happens until he's found the keys of the booth, installed himself comfortably, and all the rest), we missed the ferry along with several other people.

[chaz]

Don, thanks for the warning. its nice to know what could happen and would then be forewarned. the Folkestone swabbing does seem pointless as only happens on way out, are they more worried about what is going out to Europe where you would think more chance of comming back in. Only questioning as when watching TV programmes airports seem to do it entering countries. An example is dog control, obviously travel into Europe is not a problem its the return. OR is there more drugs in the UK we export!!

 

Dave, I thought that would have stopped years ago. So, if he didnt arrive (an unexpected  sick day) , they might not be able to get cover..and ferries would be held up.

[Don Regiano]

Yes Chaz.  It took us by surprise.  The whole x-ray process took longer than the actual train journey to cross the Channel!  Having the dogs just made it worse as we had to unclip them from their seat belts etc then put them on their leads and then of course the reverse which was being done during the 2 minute wait for the second barrier to lift to allow us to leave the post x-ray area and proceed to UK border controls.  The UK border woman could see we were a bit frazzled and trying to get to the train on time so didn't even ask us any questions other than what had been the problem!  Apart from that the whole trip from the Somme back to Cheshire went like clockwork with no holdups .. no queue at the pet reception, no queue at the check-in, no queue at French border control and only 2 cars in front of us at UK border control.  Will see what happens next month when I will be doing a solo trip.

 

Reg

[chaz]

thanks again, we will be travelling with our Rottie as normal in a weeks time so will see.

[Dave1418]

9 hours ago, healdav said:

Last year we arrived about 90 minutes before the ferry left Dunkirk. due to the complete stupidity of the British system (I'll bet you didn't know that the immigration clerk arrives in Calais on the first ferry and nothing happens until he's found the keys of the booth, installed himself comfortably, and all the rest), we missed the ferry along with several other people.

That’s very unusual as there are no junxtaposed controls at Dunkirk or Calais ferry terminal so your delay would be nothing to do with UK customs or UKBA. 

[healdav]

14 hours ago, Dave1418 said:

That’s very unusual as there are no junxtaposed controls at Dunkirk or Calais ferry terminal so your delay would be nothing to do with UK customs or UKBA. 

It was. We saw the passport bloke walk off the boat, yawn, have a look round and take forever to get to the booth. Unlocking it was a major operation, as was getting himself in a mood to do anything. There was quite a long queue.

 

[KIRKY]

What does the X-Ray show?

Tony

[mandy hall]

Good news.  The industrial action was why I started this thread.

 

Mandy

 

 

 

[Dave1418]

9 hours ago, healdav said:

It was. We saw the passport bloke walk off the boat, yawn, have a look round and take forever to get to the booth. Unlocking it was a major operation, as was getting himself in a mood to do anything. There was quite a long queue.

 

Hi

You  must mean the ferry company who books you in and not anything to do with border control or customs.

 

[healdav]

19 hours ago, Dave1418 said:

Hi

You  must mean the ferry company who books you in and not anything to do with border control or customs.

 

B^No. I mean the bloke what looks at passports. They don't stay overnight in France (foreign, probably), they come over on the first ferry, and coudn't care less what happens to the passengers waiting. They get paid, anyway for doing nothing of any use.