The Chair of parliament's transport committee Ruth Cadbury MP has written to Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander asking her to outline what flexibilities the government is seeking to negotiate with EU member states to alleviate the risk of "significant disruption" this summer.

In her letter, Cadbury acknowledged the UK government has no direct control over how the EU Entry-Exit System (EES) is operated.

However, she wrote: "It is clear from widespread media reports and the interventions of stakeholders that British tourists and freight entering the UK from the EU could face significant disruptions over the summer if no action is taken."

Cadbury ran through some of the challenges the UK has faced since EES become fully operational in April, including instances of passengers missing flights due to delays at the border both entering and exiting the Schengen area.

She also highlighted "lengthy" delays at juxtaposed EU borders here in the UK, such as at the Port of Dover, where checks were temporarily suspended during the May half-term getaway amid up to four-and-a-half hour queues.

"Stakeholders in the transport sector have expressed concerns that, without intervention, EES delays could cause significant disruption over the busy summer travel period," said Cadbury.

Committee Chair Cadbury also made reference to European aviation leaders warning that some European border authorities, airports and airlines were already experiencing "unsustainable pressure" resulting in five hour waits, flight delays and missed connections.

Full EES suspension 'not deliverable'

Appearing before the committee in June, Alexander pledged to liaise with the EU over EES and what could be done to relieve bottlenecks during peak season, and the periods of time before easement measures are enacted.

Cadbury has asked Alexander for more details on hers and the government's engagement with European partners, airlines and ports on the subject of EES, and any requests made; further details of any recent engagement with the French government about managing pressures at juxtaposed borders on UK soil, and any cross-government engagement on the issue of EES.

In addition, Cadbury also pressed Alexander on comments made by Minister for Border Security and Asylum, Alex Norris, in response to a question of hers in the House of Commons.

Norris said the UK government was engaging with all EU countries, not just France, to ensure "proportionate and sensible" flexibility is applied, before adding he did not see a full suspension of EES being "deliverable", as requested by European aviation bodies.

Cadbury asked Alexander to clarify: "What agreements you are negotiating with European partners on any flexible measures which would allow for the suspension of EES checks when demand exceeds current capacity (for example establishing thresholds that would trigger a temporary suspension of EES)."

At the weekend, the UK and France agreed to increase staffing at the UK's juxtaposed borders with the EU, with Alexander – fresh from meeting with EU Commissioner for Sustainable Transport and Tourism Apostolos Tzitzikostas – insisting European authorities and member states are "pulling in the same direction" on EES ahead of the summer holidays.