Brexit letter warns of 7,000 truck queues in Kent

Exporters to the EU face queues of 7,000 trucks in Kent and two-day delays to trade after the Brexit transition period ends, the government warned.

Imports will also be disrupted in January, according to a letter from Cabinet Minister Michael Gove to the transport industry, seen by BBC News.

It also raises the possibility of a winter spike in Covid-19 causing absences of port and border personnel.

The transition period will expire at the end of the year.

Gove, the chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, responsible for no-deal planning, wrote to logistics groups planning the government’s “reasonable worst-case scenario” for when the UK leaves the EU single market and the rules of the customs union on January 1.

Later, he will describe the work scenario, which the Cabinet Office emphasized is not a forecast, in the House of Commons.

The picture of chaos at the border might sound familiar from a similar set of projections made for the no-deal Brexit a year ago as part of what became known as Operation Yellowhammer.

The government says this is not a prediction but an illustration of what could reasonably be expected.

‘Disrupted’

According to the Cabinet Office document, in its reasonable worst case scenario, there may be “maximum queues of 7,000 trucks bound for the port in Kent and associated maximum delays of up to two days.”

“Both imports and exports could be affected similarly,” he says.

This is because up to 70% of freight trucks traveling to the EU are not ready for the new border controls, including half on the busiest “short straits” routes from Dover to Calais and in the Eurotunnel. .

The EU is expected to impose full merchandise controls on the UK, stopping all transport without correct documentation at the end of the transition period on January 1.

The outage is supposed to occur in the first two weeks of January and could last three months, or longer if France rigorously enforces Schengen passport controls on carriers in Dover and the Channel Tunnel.

The purpose of this crude communication is to try to get merchants to act now to prepare for the new border formalities that could help mitigate the disruption.

Mr Gove told the industry that this must happen regardless of whether or not there is an agreement in the trade negotiations between the UK and the EU.

The freight industry itself has expressed, in recent days, its concern that the government is not fully prepared with the plans and systems in place to deal with post-Brexit changes, especially in the difficult economic context. of the pandemic.

Relationship ‘strained’

A recent meeting between industry and the government was described as a “failure”, with insiders describing the relationship as “strained” and shippers fearful of being cast as the “fall boys” because of delays and disruptions they will probably occur in January.

There are more problems in the event that a business agreement is not reached. Carriers would have to rely on special permits rationed by the Department of Transportation, although a mutually beneficial arrangement is possible here.

But discussions on these issues await the solution of the deadlock in the negotiations on state aid and fisheries.

Industry sources have raised the possibility that the UK will have to adhere to EU rules limiting driving hours in order to access EU roads.

And there is a new specific reference to France imposing strict passport controls on the “juxtaposed controls” currently designed to offer hassle-free travel across the Canal.

“There is also the risk of continued disruption caused by the rigorous application of Schengen controls on juxtaposed controls at the port of Dover and Eurotunnel,” the document says.

Gove, in his letter, says the government will introduce an IT service “Smart Freight” to allow drivers and carriers to complete a border availability check.

Information will be shared with Kent Police to ensure that only compliant vehicles travel to the Port of Dover and Eurotunnel.

An updated model for border arrangements is also expected in the coming days.

But the limited level of preparation of traders is a real problem. Many of the changes are necessary not only because of the possibility that there is no trade agreement with the EU, but also as a result of the formal exit from the single market and the customs union.