The rush to beat the French travel ban has begun as those leaving the UK are warned to allow two hours to complete border controls.

There are huge queues at the Port of Dover as France narrows entry for tourists for non-essential travel across the English Channel following the massive surge of Omicron.

Others will have to prove exceptional circumstances but hauliers are exempt from the ban.

Tourists and people travelling for other forms of business are to be shut out after a decision to close the border.

Meanwhile, the Dover TAP (traffic assessment project) has been in force today between the Western Heights roundabout and Hawkinge to control traffic flows during the busy Christmas period.

Pictures from the scene show massive queues of lorries piling up in the area.

The ferry company DFDS advised people that it had become busy too.

Thousands of people were trying to take the last chance to travel to France before the ban comes into force tomorrow, such as by ferry or via the Channel Tunnel.

A Port of Dover spokesman said: "The changes announced by the French reflect the continuing challenges posed to our key international tourist route.

"Due to the existing barrier of Covid-19, tourism volumes through this gateway are already significantly reduced and these recent changes are another dampener on the pre-Christmas getaway period.

"We urge customers to contact their chosen ferry operator for the latest information and to follow government travel advice.

"HGV drivers are exempt from these changes and freight continues to move through the port in order to ensure goods reach their destinations, keeping shelves stacked for Christmas."

The Port of Dover says numbers of vehicles on this roadway today are typical for this time of year but it has noted high volumes of tourist and freight traffic.

It is advising travellers to allow for 120 minutes to complete border controls and check-in.

The allowance of lorries to still go to France may prevent the pandemonium last December when the port roads were gridlocked for days.

This was because the French closed their borders when the Delta form of Covid-19 spread rapidly but they stopped all lorry and passenger traffic coming through.