Gridlock on the roads to a port is now finished, officials have said.

Earlier today bosses blamed motorists “not adhering to management plans” for long delays.

But now, the Port of Dover authority tweeted just after 4pm to say: “Tourist traffic is free flowing throughout and into the Port.”

P&O Ferries on its updates X account said: “The queues at border control have now eased off and traffic is free flowing into the Port. We look forward to welcoming you on-board.”

The snarl-up at Dover had begun yesterday morning when there was a mass of vehicles trying to board ferries in the school half-term holiday rush.

The chaos led to long queues and standstill spilling over in port-bound arterial routes inside the town such as at the A256 Maison Dieu Road.

Over the last 36 hours residents and motorists warned each other on social media about where exactly the clog-ups were.

Yesterday, on the first day of the half-term getaway, there were severe processing waits for holidaymakers heading to France and the chaos continued into this morning.

Trapped motorists told of waiting up to seven hours on their way to the port. One said they had travelled 40 metres in an hour and a half.

This morning the port authority said that queuing times at its passport processing booths were up to two hours, but this has now eased to an hour.

The snarl-ups had crept into the town even with the use of Dover TAP between Hawkinge and Aycliffe

This is a control system that queues port-bound lorries in the left lane of the A20 to prevent jams in the town itself.

As part of that, the A20 was closed coastbound between the M20 and A260 to prevent cars queuing within the Roundhill Tunnelvin Folkestone.

KentOnline will continue to provide any updates or changes on the roads situation at Dover.