Haulage bosses demand ‘urgent’ meeting with ministers over Brexit border fears

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Haulage bosses have called for an “urgent” meeting with cabinet ministers over concerns there are “significant gaps” in the UK’s Brexit border preparations.

Severe disruption anticipated

Eight logistics organisations, including the Road Haulage Association (RHA), have written to Cabinet Office minister Michael Gove to highlight fears the UK-EU supply chain “will be severely disrupted” next year if issues are not resolved before Brexit. The group is seeking a roundtable meeting with Gove, chancellor Rishi Sunak, and transport secretary Grant Shapps to discuss areas including IT systems and physical border infrastructure.

The letter states:

As key participants in the supply chain who will be required to deliver a functional operating border for GB and EU traders next year, we have visibility of the current state of preparedness which as it stands has significant gaps.

If these issues are not addressed disruption to UK business and the supply chain that we all rely so heavily on will be severely disrupted.

It adds:

The Covid pandemic has demonstrated to both Government and the general public the importance of a free-flowing supply chain, and with transition occurring at the same time as a potential second Covid spike it is critical we ensure the supply chain is protected.

We are asking you to take seriously our concerns and listen to the detail during this roundtable so that we can collectively help Government manage through this enormous challenge with as little disruption as possible.

Our aim, like yours, is to have a functional and effective border that allows goods to flow from January 1 2021.

A range of critical issues

Signatories to the letter also include Logistics UK, UK Warehousing Association, the Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport, Cold Chain Federation, British Association of Removers, British International Freight Association, and British Vehicle Rental and Leasing Association (BVRLA).

RHA chief executive Richard Burnett said:

There are a range of critical issues the Chancellor, Michael Gove and the Transport Secretary need to address ranging from the SmartFreight app and other untried and untested IT systems, to the lack of customs agents and clear processes for tackling the mountain of red tape traders will face.

The Government’s pace is simply too slow on this, and that’s why we – the people who run the UK’s supply chain – need an urgent meeting with those at the top of Government dealing with Brexit preparations.

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  • Show Comments

    1. There is only one outcome to Brexit which is, like the CV19 catastrophe engineered by the No.10 Eton-trained Spiv & his Court Jesters, another disaster & a quick plunge to the bottom of the sewer. They are capitalist/psychopaths who only care about money not people. What I am at a loss to explain is why voters keep voting for the Tories who have decimated social services & the NHS & plunged to country into bankruptcy…………….

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    2. I guess the only proof the Government of Boris made a mistake with a No Deal Brexit will be the physicality of Englands bankruptcy.
      Until then any consequence is just conjecture. Nothing is real any longer like fore thought or even that thinking means something can be real. Just not now.
      Its so unreal to watch this sleep walk into anarchy/disaster prevail.
      On time delivery is so essential for the economy yet nothing is done or has been resolved about this Brexit issue since the vote in 2016.
      But this English aristocrasy is well known for huge blunders in sacrificing the population to its whims over the centuries.
      Too bad these concerned citizens of UK’s supply chain didn’t move sooner on the issue.
      But Maybe they voted for the Boris Brexit?
      It will be darn exciting times coming soon as the EU has totally given up on England as having a credible voice.

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