London Mayor Sadiq Khan warned on Saturday that Eurostar passengers traveling from the UK to the continent will face “chaos” if a new computerized border plan proposed by the European Union comes into force.
All visitors entering the EU with a visa or visa exemption must go through the automated EU entry and exit system, which has been long delayed and is currently scheduled to start in October. be.
Around 19 million people used Eurostar, which connects the UK with Belgium, France, Germany and the Netherlands, as passenger numbers returned to pre-pandemic levels last year.
The system records details and biometric data of non-EU nationals, along with dates of entry and departure, and tracks overstays and entry refusals.
Khan said: “As it stands, these new post-Brexit tests will cause disruption at St Pancras station (London’s station serving Eurostar passengers), cutting services and disrupting passenger numbers at peak times. There could be long lines.”
Mr Khan, from the main opposition Labor Party, added: “This is a direct result of Brexit and is not an issue that ministers can get into right now.”
The UK formally left the EU in early 2020 following the 2016 Brexit referendum, and its citizens lost the right to freedom of movement within the bloc.
This automated system will be used instead of stamping the passports of British people traveling to France.
HS1, which operates the Channel Tunnel line from London to France, said preparations were “grossly inadequate” and could lead to large queues and caps on passenger numbers. Ta.
The authority recently told British lawmakers that registering non-EU passengers at the border could add at least two minutes to travel time per person.
Mr Khan said: “Ministers must now provide HS1 and Eurostar with all the support they need to urgently resolve these issues. Cutting services and prolonging delays are simply not an option. ” he said.
Khan has been a vocal critic of the Conservative Party’s handling of Brexit, and has called for Britain to forge closer ties with the European Union.
A British government spokesperson said authorities were “working closely” with the EU to “minimize the impact” of the new system.
PDH/AC