LONDON (Reuters) – London Mayor Sadiq Khan said the European Union is expected to introduce a new system of biometric border controls later this year. He called on the British government to take measures to prevent “chaos.”
EU checks mean that since leaving the bloc in 2020, travelers from countries outside the bloc, including the UK, will have to register for biometrics, such as facial or fingerprint scans, at their first port of entry.
HS1, the owner and operator of the railway line and stations between London and the Channel Tunnel, said earlier this week that the tests could lead to significant delays for Eurostar trains and restrictions on services and passenger numbers. Ta.
Mr Khan said UK ministers should provide support to HS1 and Eurostar to resolve any issues, warning that delays would damage London’s retail and leisure industry, particularly in the run-up to the Christmas shopping period. did.
Mr Khan said: “The success of Eurostar is vital to the economic success of London and the UK.” “As it stands, these new post-Brexit checks will cause confusion.”
Eurostar, which operates passenger rail services between London and Paris and other European capitals, has announced that London’s peak capacity in 2022 has been reduced by 30% due to the introduction of post-Brexit border checks. .
(Reporting by Andrew MacAskill; Editing by Mark Potter)