EUROSTAR revealed its £8.5million preparations for the new European Entry Exit System that will be introduced later this year.
The new system – designed to strengthen European borders – will require all British passengers travelling by air, train or ferry to register their passport, facial image and fingerprints as well as answer four questions about their trip.
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These details will need to be updated every three years – and will be checked by a French customs officer before you are cleared to travel.
The new system is expected to come into force on October 6 and with restricted space at the St Pancras rail terminal, the high speed rail company has created three new areas containing 49 self-service kiosks outside of the check in for passengers to register.
A Benugo coffee shop will be transformed to create the largest kiosk spot.
A second overflow area on the mezzanine level of St Pancras will soak up the demand at peak times and a third area for business passengers and those requiring assistance will be built opposite the main entrance for Eurostar.
Eurostar officials claim passengers will take no longer than 90 seconds to complete the checks – which will then be confirmed by French border officers once a passenger has checked in, gone through security and passed through the English passport control.
They are confident their new system will mean passengers will arrive between 45 minutes to an hour and a half – the current recommended times.
Eurostar chief stations and security officer Simon Lejeune said: “We’re not going to ask our customers to arrive earlier for EES.
“We’re still going to maintain the current check in times. What we want to do is offer all our passengers the most fluid experience.”
While Eurostar officials are confident the new EES won’t cause delays at St Pancras, other official bodies and politicians have voiced their concerns over the new system.
Just last week, the Justice and Home Affairs Committee warned that if the new system is implemented as scheduled this year, there will be “serious delays” for holidaymakers.
They select committee is concerned about the impact the new EES will have on passengers heading to Europe via Eurostar, the ferry from Dover and the Eurotunnel at Folkestone.
The committee has called on the UK government to use “all diplomatic efforts” to delay the implementation of the new rules.
In a letter to the Minister for Legal Migration and the Border, Tom Pursglove, committee members argued that the EES shouldn’t be introduced “until a smartphone application for pre-registration is ready”.
They wrote: “Our concerns primarily relate to the UK’s preparedness for their implementation.
“The infrastructure and logistical requirements of the EES at the French juxtaposed borders in Dover, at the Eurostar terminals at St. Pancras, and at Eurotunnel in Folkestone have presented the most difficult challenges for operators.
“We have been impressed by their response. However, in the absence of a smartphone application to capture in advance information required for the EES (including facial image), we believe there is a significant chance of serious delays for passengers.”
According to the committee, the delay wouldn’t need to be a long one, describing the smartphone app needed for passengers to submit the necessary data as “tantalisingly close”.
Foreign Secretary David Cameron also expressed his concerns over the EES last week.
Cameron was worried about long delays at both St Pancras and the port of Dover, adding: “I think it’s clear to me that the technology still needs testing and improving.”
It’s not just the UK that has raised concerns about delays either.
French Transport Minister Patrice Vergriete relayed his worries to the aviation industry at the French National Aviation Merchant Federation last week.
During his address, Mr Vergriete warned that “civil unrest” and “serious operational problems” could follow the introduction of the EES.
According to BiometricUpdate.com, he said: “I fear problems. We are aware of the risk in terms of passenger fluidity. It is a challenge and we must not get this wrong.”
Other European countries are worried about how much time the new system will add to queues at EU borders.
The Slovenian government said it took “up to four times longer” to process passengers after conducting test runs.
Meanwhile, Austrian authorities warned that processing times would at least “double compared to the current situation”.
Croatia has also suggested that border checks would “certainly be significantly longer” once the EES was put in place.
The Sun’s Head of Travel, Lisa Minot explains the new system
The Sun’s Head of Travel, Lisa Minot explains the new system – and why it could cause problems.
“The looming introduction of the long-delayed European Entry Exit System could lead to yet more pain for passengers leaving the UK,
“The new system – designed to strengthen the European borders – will require every passenger to have their biometrics recorded.
“Every traveller will have to scan their passport and have a facial biometric before providing prints from the four fingers on their right hand. Children under 12 will have to do the biometric but will not have to have their fingerprints taken. All will then have to answer four questions about their reason for travel.
“Both fingerprints and facial biometrics will be required the first time a traveller uses the system, and then just one of the two for every subsequent trip. Then every three years you’ll be expected to go through the full process again.
“While airports across Europe have the space to add this additional process it is still going to add a huge amount of extra time to the customs checks. Although it will remove the need to have stamps in your passport, everything will still need to be checked either by a border officer or an e-gate.
“Where things could get really bad are at ports like Dover – where there are significant space constraints and multiple individuals will be travelling together in cars and coaches.
“Both Eurostar and Le Shuttle have invested millions in new facilities to process passengers but it is almost inevitable that the first few months of the system could lead to lengthy delays as we all get used to the new system.”
Earlier this month, Eurostar revealed that it was adding 50 new trains to its fleet – with the potential for new routes to Europe also on the horizon.
Meanwhile, a new train service is set to launch in the UK next year.
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