More children can use passport e-gates after UK rule change

Children aged 10 and 11 volition beryllium capable to usage passport e-gates astatine the UK borderline from Monday, aft the authorities announced a alteration to the rules.

Currently, lone eligible children aged 12 and supra tin usage the e-gates, which are astatine 15 aerial and obstruction ports.

The alteration comes aft palmy trials astatine Gatwick, Stansted and Heathrow, the authorities said.

It comes arsenic families embarking connected summertime vacation getaways were deed by postulation jams and delays connected Friday.

Passenger volumes are expected to instrumentality to 2019 levels this summertime - with immoderate ports exceeding those volumes, the authorities said. Border Force expects to spot implicit 34 cardinal aerial arrivals coming done UK passport power implicit the coming months, it added.

More than 400,000 children aged 10 and 11 are expected to usage e-gates this year.

The gates are installed astatine 13 airports successful the UK - Heathrow, Gatwick, Stansted, London City, Luton, Birmingham, Bristol, Cardiff, East Midlands, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Manchester and Newcastle. They are besides successful usage astatine the UK borderline controls astatine the Eurostar terminals successful Brussels and Paris.

Immigration Minister Robert Jenrick said the rollout "will marque travelling easier for passengers and strengthens the information of the UK border."

"The UK processes much passengers done e-gates than immoderate different state - and today's announcement ensures we stay astatine the forefront of technology," helium added.

But the e-gate work has run into difficulties successful the past, with airports crossed England and Scotland caught successful lengthy queues erstwhile the gates stopped moving astatine the extremity of May.

The disruption, which lasted for implicit a day, was caused by an IT issue, the Home Office told the BBC. It saw travellers waiting successful agelong queues for hours.

On Friday, the Port of Dover said it had been a "popular day" with travellers heading to France. Earlier it had warned holidaymakers to expect delays to walk borderline controls, with processing times fixed of up to 90 minutes.

Families were besides deed by postulation jams and delays astatine the Dartford Crossing.

National Highways closed portion of the River Thames crossing due to the fact that of a clang connected Friday, causing agelong tailbacks.

The smash forced the closure of 1 of the crossing's 2 tunnels, which are utilized for northbound traffic, soon earlier 07:00 BST.

The passageway was aboriginal reopened but National Highways said the incidental caused 5 miles of congestion.

An estimated 12.6 cardinal car journeys volition beryllium made for a time travel oregon vacation betwixt Friday and Monday arsenic the bulk of schools successful England and Wales decorativeness for the summer, the RAC said.

Passports volition present usage the wording "His Majesty", with the epoch yet ending for passports utilizing "Her Majesty", for the precocious Queen Elizabeth II.

The updated passports are the latest signifier successful the gradual modulation successful reigns, with stamps and immoderate coins present carrying the King's head. Banknotes volition statesman to alteration adjacent year.