Road Haulage Association chief executive, Richard Burnett has urged the government to do more to prepare industry for a ‘no-deal’ Brexit.
Following a meeting with Brexit Secretary, Stephen Barclay MP, Mr Burnett has set out a series of measures which he says would ensure high volumes of goods could continue flowing across UK-EU borders if customs controls are introduced on 31 October.
He called on the government to:
Produce clear guidance on how the whole end-to-end journey will operate;
Open and authorise new and substantial customs facilities for transit;
Introduce consolidated and simplified import safety & security declaration system;
Launch online customs training for traders;
Make lorry holding facilities such as Operation Brock fit for purpose;
Abolish the 22% tariff on new trucks.
He said that businesses moving goods across borders still don’t know what they’re required to do if there’s a ‘no-deal’ Brexit amid predictions that there will be huge backlogs at ports.
A permanent 12-hour delay for the 10,000 trucks that use the Dover Strait each day would cost £2.2 billion per year in each direction in lorry operating costs alone.
He pointed out that the 22% tariff on new trucks from the EU would make it beyond the reach of the average operator as they face daily charges of up to £100 to enter clean air zones with non-Euro VI trucks.
