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Channel Tunnel 'Enhanced security checks'

 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
On reaching the channel tunnel to get onto the shuttle at Calais last night large signs were warning of 'Enhanced Security checks being carried out. Confused

As follows, French Customs unmanned, UK passport control now manned by immigration AND customs, passports now passed through a scanner and UV light. We were then sent through.
However any Vans OR 'Renault Espace' type vehicles were held whilst all doors opened and two officilas checked inside. This inevitably will lead to queing but at 5 pm yesterday all 4 checkpoints were manned, so only the usual brief delay Very Happy
The manning levels for folk travelling over on a weekend may well be different Sad
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 Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Hopefully they are only doing their job... you might want to get to the port and tunnels a bit earlier.
Hopefully BC will have got away last night on time..its the winds that may have been a issue with the ferries.
No mention about new Port secutirty... I'll check later
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 Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
boredsurfin, came through on Sunday - again French customs unmanned. UK ones had the worlds grumpiest man on duty, asked us to wind the windows down at back of car to look at kids properly. Otherwise no additional checks - we were in Sharan and weren't asked to open doors etc.

Have been stopped before for brief searchs, always been polite to us and friendly.

Have no problems with this really as have no desire to be blown up in tunnel.
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We came through on Tuesday, arrived and checked in well before our departure time (16:45) but left two trains late due to the queue for the "enhanced security" going right back into the terminal car park! The queue rage was pretty interesting to watch as we waited for our turn!

I don't have any problems with security, I have no desire to be blown up in the tunnel, but surely when the queue is that long and they know there are problems they should start calling vehicles through earlier and stack then in those long empty lanes round at the boarding zone?
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 Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
A couple of times at the Tunnel I've been pulled over at the immigration checkpoint to have swabs taken from the engine compartment and boot to check for explosives.
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homphomp, We were also there on Tuesday evening and sat in the longest queue of all time, our UK Immigration Operative was the slowest and grumpiest ever. They were calling cars through a full hour before boarding but people were still missing their departures. Tempted to take a sheet of self adhesive letters and make our own departure hanger next time!
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 Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Nick Dawes, must of been the same one as us !

Generally they do call people through, but of course it does depend on people listening to this.

The computers for the booking in system were broken when we were there Sunday, leading to an hours wait. Finally managed to get through to UK booking line to ask if there was a problem.

Me - Hello is there a problem with the Eurotunnel today?
Them - No everything is running as normal
Me - well I've been sitting ina queue for an hour in France
Them - well yes the computers are down


I'm intrigued as to what part of "is there a problem" they didn't understand
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 After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
Boris,

Broken down computers...??? what sort of crap sys is that...???
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JT, An easier to fix problem than a broken wharf at Calais wink
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Frosty the Snowman,

Big story about that... MOT on cables was a bit of a flawed regime..... if it had been on this side, they'd have closed the port... allegedly..!!!

And the tunnel delays were security security and nothing to do with bus loads of Romanians and Bulgars..... Shocked Shocked
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 snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
JT, I think about going to help, but then I get enough of this type of hassle at work.

The words "backup system" did spring to mind - however this seemed to consist of checking you had a ticket and letting you on the next train!!!!
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 And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
Nick Dawes wrote:
They were calling cars through a full hour before boarding but people were still missing their departures.


When we were there they were only calling through exactly 30mins before boarding....anyone who tried to sneak through before was being turned back and made to park up again! Since it took at least an hour to get past the passport office that seemed somewhat stupid!! We hopped in the car exactly 30mins before our scheduled departure and hadn't even made it to the top of the car park row when they were calling the next lot through....queue lots of horn blowing and car park rage as the D's (us) tried to get though while the E's all started to try to pull out of their parking spaces! Drinking sessions and breweries come to mind....
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 So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
Boris,

I thought they had a proper clustered system there...but obviously, it isn't that proper....
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 You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
JT, yes - we were all clustered around the information desk trying to find out what was happening Laughing
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 Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Boris,

I only mentioned it because we never lose systems that are business critical.... they might run slower because of the load but thats its....and I would have thought that Passenger Handling was business critical.. unless we are talking about our website which sits on wanky windows but thats not a proper system, its a toy...!!!!! Laughing
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 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
homphomp, By 7.00pm they had obviously seen the error of their ways and were giving people an hour to get through but still limited immigration windows open. We were praying not to get pulled into the hut for the old 'unpack your car please sir' routine which thankfully we've only been subjected to once on an outbound journey.
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 Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
JT, Your self service user terminals aren't out in the open in Calais or Ashford with peep's using them that don't understand a touch screen system Evil or Very Mad wink
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 Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
JT, not sure whether it was down down (que Status Quo) or just slow, I sincerely hope it was slow as they were on backup. Still I'm in no position to comment after we lost most of the Uni email....... Shocked http://www.theregister.co.uk/2006/11/14/warwick_email/

boredsurfin, Touch Screen my Ars3 - thump screen violently to get them to register anything rolling eyes
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
My first service call today was to a touchscreen videogame that was coming up with an error message, after a BIOS failure it was sat there with the classic "No keyboard detected, press F1 to continue" rolling eyes
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 Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Boris,
Quote:

Touch Screen my Ars3 - thump screen violently to get them to register anything
_________________


No! It's French, smooth it gently and you always get the response you expect Very Happy wink
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You'll need to Register first of course.
FenlandSkier,
Quote:

touchscreen videogame

Quote:

No keyboard detected


You got to admit, it was right!! Toofy Grin
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 Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
I'll grudgingly admit it's true boredsurfin Evil or Very Mad
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 After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
boredsurfin, Boris, I don't know what sys they use, but I would expect them to use something that has a degree of redundancy or failover..preferably automatic. We never lose a business critical system..we always have some availablilty.
I know there was a security alert which would cause queues but to lose a sys at the same time...!!!!!!!!!!!! Puzzled rolling eyes Shocked
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rob@rar wrote:
A couple of times at the Tunnel I've been pulled over at the immigration checkpoint to have swabs taken from the engine compartment and boot to check for explosives.


Or possibly drugs? If you're a frequent crosser, I'm pretty sure they clock regular travellers.

Did they have the white mits on which they run over the vehicle and then deposit in a machine that I guess analyses the deposits?
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 Ski the Net with snowHeads
Ski the Net with snowHeads
Mark Hunter wrote:
Or possibly drugs? If you're a frequent crosser, I'm pretty sure they clock regular travellers.

Did they have the white mits on which they run over the vehicle and then deposit in a machine that I guess analyses the deposits?

Not gloves, but a swatch of fabric on the end of a stick. After they swabbed around the engine compartment and boot they disappeared into their office for a few minutes. I asked what they were checking for and they said explosives, although that's not to say it wasn't drugs as well/instead of. I'm not a frequent user of the Chunnel, but both my two previous crossings have resulted in being pulled over for this test. Maybe I don't have such an innocent face after all...
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 snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
rob@rar, well if the face fits... wink

A few years ago I did 3 trips to France in the same car within a relatively short period, was stopped twice on the last 2 occasions and went through the routine - gloves run over the boot, engine, luggage. You could see quite clearly through the 'hut' window that they were checking for something. Almost certainly a coincidence, tho' it does make you wonder.
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 And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
I was told they always act on intelligence but sometimes I'm sure they just have to hit numbers and check complacency.

I always think it a good thing for them to be visual..customs and immigration
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 So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
Agree that in present world conditions vigilance is required. But...

Do they need to be so damn unpleasant about it? Sad I travel abroad regularly but the only time i feel unwelcome is leaving and arriving in the UK! Even the USA imigration has a sense of humour! No borders throughout EEC except UK ( poss still in recent EEC joiners borders).

I was quizzed last year on way to France via Dover, on every subject you can think of, name, home address, where going, what address staying at, why going, when returning, ferry time returning, how much cash, why that much cash, do I have VRD docs, insurance it went on......

God help you if you bring back too many cigs! "are these for you sir? How many a day do you smoke, per week, how much do they cost, for a packet of 20, 100, 200" etc....
There must be reason, hope its not just bloody mindedness! Puzzled

BTW, any sign of the increased security or delays at the Ferries yet?
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 You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
BMF_Skier,

After the Xmas rush the port appears to be settled. The security issue centred on the Tunnel but I doubt the port is oblivious.
I am not aware of any delays, the recent blowy weather would have had more of an impact.

I can't comment on the demeanor of the officials at the tunnel ..I can but guess...
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 Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
rob@rar, yes we had that while crossing at 5am. They asked us to all get out the car, to which I point blank refused to get the kids out as a) they were asleep and b) it was well below freezing. Luckily they didn't insist.

We hadn't crossed with them for some time so guess we were just random selection.
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 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
Tests/checks are done for one of three reasons

1.) Acting on intelligence, heaven help you if you look like or are driving a similar vehicle top a known terrorist/drug dealer/people traffiker

2.) Random sampling, 1 in x number of vehicles will be checked on the off chance of catching someone doing something illegal, x will decrease at busier times because if you want to smuggle something through customs its easier to do in a big crowd.

3.) They don't like your face, comments you make or your attitude.

A good few decades ago one of my relatives worked as a customs inspector, his job was to check the crews of merchant ships when they landed, their favorite trick was to have the crew hold their kit bags above their heads when the came ashore, invaribly those with something to hide held their bags higher than those who didn't wink
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 Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
D G Orf, you forgot

4.) they're playing snooker - 1point for red car, 7 points for black car etc


In a blue car (6 points) probably explains why have been stopped 3 times in last 5 crossings
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 Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Boris, Glad I don't drive a pink car. You would get turfed out every time.
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Boris, technically that still falls into the random catagory wink
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 Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
D G Orf, I put it down to having a "Whoop Ass - don't make me open this!" sticker on the roofbox Laughing

Although they have never actually asked me to open it Puzzled
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Came through at lunchtime. Pet control very slow, and nearly caused us to miss our departure, then self-check in needed a large thump. Booked onto 12.20 departure, but managed to get on 11.50 with 10 mins to spare. No-one looking at French desk. UK passport control was more interested in chatting about his dog.
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 Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Boris, You must look suspicious wink We must have done about 20 trips in black cars and never been stopped.
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 After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
Oh, and I saw a pink car on the M11 at lunchtime.
wink
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