No-Deal Brexit Risks Lorry Park

A recent report suggests that a “temporary solution” to handling cross-channel traffic, in the event of a no-deal Brexit, risks turning much of the M20 into a giant lorry park over the coming years.

A recent assessment suggested that a 13-mile stretch of the coastbound section of the M20, between junction 8 near Maidstone and junction 9 near Ashford, will be earmarked to hold heavy goods vehicles, in what will effectively become a giant temporary lorry park holding around 2,000 lorries.

A permanent solution may not be in place for many years if enacted through current planning processes and procedures. It will also depend on the post-Brexit customs arrangements reached with the European Union. Therefore, the ‘temporary’ traffic-management system – Operation Brock – will be in force for some time.

On some days more than 10,000 freight vehicles pass through Dover, with the report also stating that customs checks on imports from outside the common market can take between five to 45 minutes per vehicle.

Port officials have warned that increasing the average time it takes to clear customs by as little as two minutes could lead to 17-mile traffic jams.

To find out more about how Customs Insights can assist with your post-Brexit customs preparations, then please call 01304 211652 or email enquiries@customsinsights.co.uk.