A very reliable source has leaked details about the UK government's 'no-deal' Brexit plans and it is basically Armageddon for the UK road transport industry. THREAD
telegraph.co.uk/politics/2018/…
telegraph.co.uk/politics/2018/…
In a UK government plan for 'no deal,' officials admit that a) there is likely to be severe disruption at the ports and b) contrary to earlier government claims, there will not be enough permits available for UK lorry drivers heading to Europe
UK will minimise customs checks if there is no deal but there is "high likelihood" of "disruption and delays" at ports, per government plan due to be published next week
Half the M20 will be sealed off for about 13 miles, and one side of it will be used as a lorry park. Rest of traffic will go through the other half
Per this UK 'no-deal' plan (and of course EU's own advice to stakeholders as we reported earlier this week) British lorry drivers will be banned by Brussels from working in the EU. British drivers will therefore need to apply for new licences
Significantly, the UK plan says British haulage industry will have to fall back on permits - but concedes that there will not be enough permits
It also says businesses should look at "different modes of transport" for getting goods into EU - such as shipping goods instead of putting them in lorries. That is sobering news for UK haulage industry. Their loss will be UK shipping industry's gain
Reminder: earlier this week Department for Transport told me everything would be fine, even if there is no deal, and went so far as to stress that there *would* be enough permits available
The plan says there will be tailbacks as UK expects EU to introduce a slew of checks at border, including transport documents and sanitary checks
Industry source: "It is indeed sobering and a disaster for the British road haulage industry if we get to no deal. People will think we are scare-mongering but the reality is looking pretty bleak."
This also raises questions about government transparency. For months we have been told everything will be fine, even if there is no deal - see today's Jeremy Hunt tweet:
But behind closed doors, government appears to be preparing for what David Davis once described as a "Mad Max" Brexit. ENDS
