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Remember the government's no-deal Brexit plan for lorry traffic? Well, it's now *the plan* in all scenarios 1/ https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-08-04/u-k-to-use-no-deal-brexit-border-plan-fearing-traffic-chaos?sref=yMmXm5Iy
4 years on from the referendum, and with just 4 mths to go until D-day, the gov has launched a consultation (
) on how it should manage UK-EU lorry traffic in Kent.
Operation Brock is back... 2/ https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/enforcing-operation-brock-plans-in-2021/proposed-legislative-amendments-on-enforcing-operation-brock
) on how it should manage UK-EU lorry traffic in Kent.Operation Brock is back... 2/ https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/enforcing-operation-brock-plans-in-2021/proposed-legislative-amendments-on-enforcing-operation-brock
It's probably the soberest assessment yet of the dangers to traffic flow from Dec. 31, even with a free-trade deal with the EU.
It's these three paragraphs that make DfT very nervous 3/
It's these three paragraphs that make DfT very nervous 3/
Gov says it expects levels of readiness for new border checks among traders to be *about the same as in Oct. 2019*, due to coronavirus - and it was poor back then.
So a year longer to prepare for Brexit, but no meaningful improvement in preparation 4/
So a year longer to prepare for Brexit, but no meaningful improvement in preparation 4/
So what's the plan? Lorry drivers entering Kent will need to get a special permit by filling in details on a new gov website. No permit? ÂŁ300 fine. Confirms our story from June 5/ https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-06-29/after-brexit-lorries-set-to-need-taxman-s-permission-to-move?sref=yMmXm5Iy
How will it be enforced? Checks by enforcement officials and potentially cameras recognising number plates. If intercepted, a lorry will be sent to one of the new Brexit lorry parks 6/ https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-07-24/u-k-plans-truck-stop-by-the-white-cliffs-of-dover-after-brexit?sref=yMmXm5Iy
And there's a back-up plan if the new IT system fails -- good old fashioned manual checking of lorries at the lorry parks, if queues have built up. But no checking if traffic is flowing, which is risky... 7/
So there you have it -- the no-deal Brexit traffic plan is now the plan we'll use anyway, with some little tweaks and additions.
Goes to show that even with a UK-EU FTA, there's border friction coming and businesses need to be ready (ends) https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-08-04/u-k-to-use-no-deal-brexit-border-plan-fearing-traffic-chaos?sref=yMmXm5Iy
Goes to show that even with a UK-EU FTA, there's border friction coming and businesses need to be ready (ends) https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-08-04/u-k-to-use-no-deal-brexit-border-plan-fearing-traffic-chaos?sref=yMmXm5Iy
