Had my first ferry trip across the channel since Jan 2020.
Seems like Dover had done the bare minimum to prepare for additional passport checks. They've put in some some lane barriers and traffic lights to better manage the queues for the passport desks. Those lanes operate well, but the overall queuing capacity is too small, and the throughput at the desks is slow. We saw the other weekend that even when all desks opened, it took an entire weekend for the backlog to clear, so clearly they don't have sufficient throughput to cope with spikes in demand.
Meanwhile over in Calais, they've reclaimed a massive section of sea-bed by building out into the channel to make space for new flyovers from the motorway, local road access, queuing areas, check-in desks, EU exit desks, UK passport checks, security checks, embarkation lanes and a massive shop & facilities - all brand new, spacious, working efficiently and quickly. OMG, if only the UK had the foresight to plan & invest like the French...
But then anyone who has driven any distance in France will know they are excellent at infrastructure, far higher standards in road-building and maintenance on their trunk network. I don't know why Citroen are famed for good suspension, you barely need it on French roads!
But back to borders... the biometric controls next year will replace passport stamps, but I imagine all passports will still have to be individually checked and logged, and matched to retinal/fingerprint scan for each traveller. How long is that going to take?