British holidaymakers are being warned to arrive at airports four hours early as new EU border checks cause massive delays across Europe.

The Entry/Exit System, which launched in October and became fully operational across 29 European countries on 10 April, is creating chaos at border control.

The system replaces passport stamps with automated checks that log when you enter and leave European territory.

Because Brits are no longer EU nationals, you now have to register your personal details on your first visit to a Schengen Area country.

This means using EES machines at airports, ferries, and Eurostar terminals to scan your fingerprints and face.

The system was supposed to speed up border checks. Instead, it's causing hours of delays.

Reports from travellers show three-hour waits at Lanzarote Airport in March. Similar delays have been reported in Brussels, Lisbon, and Prague.

Ryanair boss Michael O'Leary has called the system "a shambles" and is demanding a five-month delay to fix the problems before summer.

He says it would make more sense to launch properly in October during the quieter winter schedule instead of right before peak holiday season.

Travel industry experts are warning passengers to add at least four hours to their usual airport arrival time for southern European destinations while the system beds in.

The Home Office claims the checks should only take one to two minutes per person, but admits longer waits are likely during busy periods.

If you're flying to Europe this summer, expect significantly longer waits at passport control both leaving the UK and arriving at your destination.

An update from The National

What the sign does not point out is the rise of over 50 metres from the station to the bus stop.

Those rail replacement arrangements for Avoncliff remind me of St Keyne Wishing Well Halt on the Looe Branch

Trains and passengers have been unable to access platform two at South Bank train station, near Middlesbrough, for 18 months after safety concerns were raised at an inspection.

Unsafe train station bridge now to be reinforced


No date has been set for the reopening of the footbridge at South Bank station

An unsafe railway footbridge will now be strengthened, rather than demolished.

Trains and passengers have been unable to access platform two at South Bank train station, near Middlesbrough, for 18 months after safety concerns were raised at an inspection.

The plan had been to demolish the footbridge and construct a temporary replacement, ahead of a wider transport project involving redeveloping the station. However, it has now been confirmed the Tees Valley Combined Authority (TVCA) will finance an alternative temporary solution to "strengthen" the existing structure to bring it back into use.

Network Rail is said to be working with TVCA and other stakeholders to get the project moved forward, the Local Democracy Reporting Service said. Although, neither were willing to put a date on when the bridge and platform two could be reopened, following the last self-imposed target of August 2025 for a solution being missed.


Eastbound trains have not stopped at South Bank for a year-and-a-half

The footbridge provided sole access to eastbound platform two, transporting passengers to Redcar and Saltburn.

When it was open, the footbridge also provided access to the north of the station to Teesworks.

Trains that previously called at South Bank on the way to Redcar now pass through the station non-stop, while westbound services to Middlesbrough, Darlington and Bishop Auckland remain unaffected.

Network Rail said ownership of the footbridge was being transferred to it from Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council. A spokesperson said: "This will help move the project forward as we work with the local authority to finalise funding for the work needed to strengthen the structure. Once the necessary agreements are in place, we will move forward with appointing a contractor."

The council are looking to procure an operator to provide an annual passenger ferry service between Fleetwood and Knott End. The Operator is required to provide the ferry vessel, staff and be responsible for day to day operation. The anticipated vessel size would carry twelve passengers per journey with an estimate of 30,000 - 40,000 passengers per annum. The council own the ferry dock and slipway which will be used to facilitate the service. The operator will retain all fares including slipway launch fees and currently a contribution is provided by Wyre Borough Council and Lancashire County Council for the day to day running costs.

No Value Specified          Duration 5 years

10:18 Bristol Temple Meads to Oxford due 11:27

10:18 Bristol Temple Meads to Oxford due 11:27 will be reinstated.

This is due to more trains than usual needing repairs at the same time.

Will be formed of 2 coaches instead of 5. First class not available. Catering is not available. There are no reservations on this service.

I've just stumbled across this topic - as usual, while I was actually looking for something else - and I noted that only three locations were identified originally.

2.  Salisbury.

CfN.

10:18 Bristol Temple Meads to Oxford due 11:27
12:02 Oxford to Bristol Temple Meads due 13:13

12:02 Oxford to Bristol Temple Meads due 13:13 will be reinstated and will now run as scheduled.
Last Updated:11/04/2026 08:23

West Coast Railways (WCR) has said it has reached an agreement with the Office of Rail and Road (ORR) to install central door locking on its heritage carriages on its entire fleet of Mark 1 carriages used on the Fort William to Mallaig route.

The train previously relied on stewards manually locking doors but the regulator demanded an automated system.

'Vital' 180-year-old ferry crossing to end


The Knott End Ferry service will stop operating on 15 April

A ten-minute ferry crossing that spares passengers a half-hour commute is to end.

Wyre Council said the Fleetwod-Knott End ferry service, which connects the two towns either side of the River Wyre estuary and carries up to 35 people, was due to end on 15 April because no "compliant tenders" to run it had been received.

The service has been running since the 1840s.

Reacting to the authority's Facebook post announcing the end of the service, some people described the ferry as a "national treasure", the loss of which would be "devastating" to the local economy.

The council said: "If the service does not continue past 15 April 2026, the Council remains committed to exploring alternative options, including discussions with potential future operators and reviewing how existing Council assets could help support any future service."


The ferry provides a link between Fleetwood and Knott End

There has been a three-year campaign to save the ferry, which campaigners described as a "vital service" and a "solid piece of heritage".

By car, the journey of about 11 miles - which requires driving south and taking the Shard Bridge - takes about 25 minutes.

The council said it had been working with Lancashire County Council, which jointly subsidises the service, to try to "secure the long term future of the ferry".

"This has included early market engagement, a formal open tender process in accordance with the Procurement Act 2023, and detailed discussions with organisations that expressed an interest in operating the service," it said. But, the council said there was not currently a "financially viable and deliverable proposal that would allow the service to continue beyond the current contract".

"We recognise the ferry is an important part of daily life for many residents, businesses and visitors," it added.

Wyre Marine Services has been contacted for comment.

Apologies for the duplication: grahame and I were posting simultaneously.