Port of Dover bosses are warning of an “exceptionally busy” summer, with cross-Channel traffic set to increase by almost a third because of the Paris Olympics.

The extra 30% would be on top of the seasonal spike sparked by the start of the school holidays in the UK.

In addition, the port’s buffer area, to hold waiting traffic, this summer will have less room because of construction work for the new EES border checks that begin in October.

But bosses are making contingency plans and providing advice for travellers to prevent clog-ups on the road which have happened regularly in the past.

Schools in Kent break up on Tuesday, July 23, and the Olympic Games begin three days later,

Port of Dover chief executive Doug Bannister said: “We must factor in an anticipated increase in traveller numbers of 30%, who will be making their way to Paris for the Olympic Games, starting later this month.

”We have the added challenge of having to implement our infrastructure works required by France and the EU to support the EU’s new Entry / Exit system due to go live in October.

“On arrival at the port this summer, our customers will see the contractors we have on-site, working around an already busy 24/7 operation to construct these facilities.

“The effect of these works that are required to house the process means that our buffer zone, where traffic waits for French border clearance, will have a reduced capacity.

“We have added in as much capacity as we can to compensate, but we are advising those who will be using the port this summer that it will be exceptionally busy.”

Customers are first advised not to come more than two hours before their ferry departure time and if they miss a sailing they can go on the next at no extra cost.

Bosses estimate that processing times inside the port will be up to two hours during the peak hours of 6am to 1pm on Fridays, through to Sundays every weekend of the summer holiday.

Customers are also advised to travel to the ferry terminal via the recommended main routes only and not turn up without a booking.

Holidaymakers should also have passports open and ready before border controls to ensure the quickest possible transit and reduce the waiting time for other vehicles.

The port authority has a summer getaway plan, with partner organisations, which includes:

*Working closely with coach customers and ferry operators to spread travel demand during peak times.

*The new, freight permit system with the M20 traffic control system Operation Brock on the surrounding Kent roads.

*Using the designated Coach Processing Facility on the approach to the ferry terminal to conduct the Advanced Passenger Information (API) checks and smooth movements to the port.

*Increasing checking positions at the French border for tourists from seven to 11 while keeping two freight and five coach ones.

*Sharing hour-by-hour projections for every day of the summer getaway with operational partners, to enable them to plan their resources and processes

*Providing regular operational updates on social media and the port website.

*Partners working on this plan include the French border police Police Aux Frontières, the British Border Force, Dover’s three ferry operators DFDS, P&O Ferries and Irish Ferries, and the Kent and Medway Resilience Forum.

Clog-ups on the roads to Dover port are regular and often happen during getaways at the start of school holidays as well as because of bad weather and strikes in France.

In the worst cases, traffic creeps into Dover town and seizes up its arterial routes.

Last July the processing time at the border was 90 minutes.

Last Easter holidaymakers faced waits of up to two hours. Bad weather, including strong winds, was then blamed.

The Olympic Games in Paris are from July 26 to August 11 and are on the 100th anniversary of their last being held there, from July 5 to 27, 1924.