I think that sums it up Mr Rupa!
I think what sums it up is this comment, made earlier in this thread.
"..Why should fonctionnaires in France know or care when schools in other countries break up? Ours broké up on July 5th and that's all we're intérestéd in. GB being an island and tedious to leave or go to also isn't our problem. I sympathisé personally but I doubt the douanes etc administration are remotely bothèred.."
Well... they should be bothered, because to not be bothered displays a selfish petulant arrogant lazy immature mentality. It illustrates a lack of generosity and cooperation with anyone else. It is also their job. Is the person who posted this really saying that it should make no difference to a customs official (French or British) if thousands of families (British, French, Dutch et al) have to suffer 15 hours cramped in a hot uncomfortable car? Oh... and if they bring a few bottles of mineral water, a bag of crisps and a loo roll, then they should be able to cope?
It's a good job not everyone takes that attitude to life.
Be careful... what goes around - comes around.
Paul, of course all the staff aim to do a good job, but if there aren't enough staff during periods of high traffic what do you expect them to do? Border staff are under intolerable pressure on both sides of the Channel. Surely it is up to the governments to respond to the higher security risks by recruiting more staff, however they have to be security-checked and investigated before they can start training, which takes months. It all takes money, and governments don't have the budget. If senior management can't control how long the queues get, I can't see how we can criticise the people who are actually checking passports and the contents of vehicles, nor expect them to work themselves into exhaustion because they are understaffed.
Now, if the UK adopted a similar system to France, where the start of school holidays is staggered, perhaps we would avoid the extreme queues with the same levels of staff.
I did say this a couple of days ago.....
Better management is required.....and more staff to handle the high season and
the high alert of terrorism. Of course security is of paramount importance.
Diana... did you actually read my post(s). My anger is directed at the lack of forward planning - which is the responsibility of those in charge - on both sides of the channel. I don't expect anyone to " work themselves to exhaustion". My second observation was aimed at the comment about why should functionaires care...which seems to propose that many individuals workers need not care about outcomes.
As for time and budget required to recruit and train staff.....am I to think that terrorism threats are something brand new? If we can find, for example, £41 billion for Trident, and £35 billion for high speed rail, I feel confident in saying customs authorities on both sides of the channel should have enough resources for an extra couple of dozen staff to accomodate "foreseen" busy periods at Dover.
Every industry has workload peaks and troughs - last week was a shambles.
I wonder if these extra checks are on all of Frances borders or just the UK ones
Firstly Paf and the douanes, have their Summer holidays in ........ Yes you guessed in July and August,same as the Brits/ French/Dutch etc, why should they be expected to holiday outside the peak months??
We are now subjected to over two hours delay on certain days to get into Spain, I am sure all the other French borders are subject to delay. Its a sign of the times, unfortunetly.
Well some traditions need to change or be amended!
Every responsible industry with seasonal peaks and troughs staffs accordingly. Thousands of Postman don't have holidays at Christmas and Easter as it's the busy period. A and E departments are staffed up at the w/end for obvious reasons. It goes with the territory.
I would propose they arrange flexible staffing accordingly..or reduce the numbers on holiday at the busiest time of the year. It's not rocket science.
2 hours into Spain is a lot different than 15 hours on the M20.
Mr Rupal is correct but there are different perspectives you can take. A bad start to a holiday you have saved for and looked forward to is 5h1te, it's a disappointment, but the pain is relatively short-lived and you will get over it. For some of those who went or whose loved ones went to see the fireworks in Nice on 14th July, or to the concert in Paris, the pain is not something they will ever get over. Yes the authorities should have organised things better. But I guess the French are stepping up security at every border not just at Dover, and their resources are stretched. For me, the situation where a growing minority do not respect innocent lives, is to blame, obviously the officials will be made the scapegoat but they did not create the situation.
My clients vacate rooms by ten in the morning and it is essential to clean every thing (almost
perfectly!) by 4.pm and then we check our work. Sounds easy.....and yes there are only 4 bedrooms
ensuite. Metres hab of the house is over 300 and there is a garden.....and pool. It takes 4 of us to
clean in order to meet our standards. This is unrelated to the main garden work or the laundry.
You may say that it is my/our buisness and that is why we do it.....but if you provide a service you
and do a job of work....you do it well and you keep our promise.That is the way it should be?
Anna I can see your point.....but security needs to be of the highest priority at all times
not just during the holiday season.....and, perhaps there could be a system where people volunteer
to work in as volunteers....even in the offices at security points. Undergoing some training....of course.
In this way there would be an underpinning of staff....releasing more experts working at borders.
If we are short of staff....then there is a way to find more.
Diana, obviously the problem lies with management and government, this time the French. The UK Border Agency was called in to help out.
Higher security state and one man manning one booth on the night of the school holidays equates to madness.
All borders, but obviously much easier to let people through when they ate not catching ferries as well.
Michael, because when you take a job you have to accept the conditions that go with it.
If you are needed at peak times you have to accept that, or do not accept the job.
I have read the above with interest. We are in France and we travelled via Portsmouth/Caen, earlier than planned but thankfully missed all the chaos. I appreciate the worries of business owners but to put all the blame on the French authorities seems rather unreasonable, they are guarding their borders and in light of the current events seems perfectly reasonable. On their return, if the British are guarding their borders properly the same thing will happen again on the French side of the Channel, but of course that won't affect the Expats running businesses in France! On the British side of things apparently half the understaffed border controls at Dover were moved to Heathrow to cover the increase in holiday travel!!!!! 'Operation Stack' occurs every year at this time and because most of Dover port is built on reclaimed land with sheer cliffs in the background there is nowhere for large numbers of traffic to go, so it backs up. I think the French authorities know exactly what they are doing, and fortunately there is still cooperation and communications between countries (as there always has been) and I do not think the British authorities are the be all and end all, the French authorities are well able to manage there own affairs in spite of what the British 'Media' say.
Barbara, we do the same, vacate the gite by ten and be ready for the next by four o 'clock. We have two en suite bedrooms, large living dining room and kitchen plus barbecue to clean. As you say garden, laundry and pool as well.
The only way to get it right is to have check lists. Excellent housekeeping and attention to detail is one of the ways we differentiate ourselves from others.
We don't expect that all the light bulbs and the wi fi work, we check them.
Piss poor planning leads to poor performance. Well known aphorism in government circles.
Susanne, is that why there are ten French different security agencies all busy empire building and not co-operating with each other?
This is not just my observations but those of our French friends.
We were told of a friend's nephew who is a member of the regular army and who was prepared to go on leave after the Nice atrocities and he assumed it would be cancelled. Apparently he received a text telling him to carry on with his plans as 12,000 reservists were being called up.
Regulars or reservists to defend you? I know which I prefer.
Hi Susanne. I'm not sure that all the blame IS going towards the French authorities... certainly not from me. It's clear that security - especially given current circumstances - is paramount.
I simply feel that that the planning has been atrocious - by both countries.
There is no reason whatsoever for last weeks chaos. It's the busiest week of the year for travellers, there is a heightened security threat - it was all foreseen - yet neither party has successfully planned for it.
the reservists in question are retired regulars who keep their hand in, Jane, so no real change there and it gives the system a break as it's at near rebelion/breaking point with most leave having been cut for many since the Charlie Hebdo killings