After the announcement that the UK Government has opened a new grants scheme for infrastructure modifications at ports in preparation for a ‘no deal’ Brexit, the British Ports Association has welcomed the funding but suggested that at this late stage a deal was the best way to prevent possible disruptions at the border.
Namely, the Department for Transport is launching a new £10m Port Infrastructure Resilience and Connectivity Fund for English Ports, in preparation for 31 October 2019.
This fund will enable ports to bid for grants of up to £1m each for infrastructure improvements to help prepare for the possible new processes and potential congestion which could take place in case of a ‘no deal’ Brexit.
Commenting on the funding the British Ports Association’s Chief Executive, Richard Ballantyne said:
We welcome this new funding for ports which a number of operators will apply for to help prepare for Brexit
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British ports have been cooperating with the UK Government for the last three years, on various Brexit scenarios. However, BPA said that the potential challenges are not only for the likes of Dover but also other ports such as Holyhead, Immingham and Portsmouth, which handle a mix of driven and unaccompanied vehicle freight between the UK and the EU. This mix currently flows through ports swiftly, nevertheless there could be wider issues for other ports which will depend on the HMRC’s systems to handle a vast increase in customs data.
BPA added that ports are just one part, albeit an important one, of the logistics chain. It also explained that ports rely on others, such as freight forwarders, hauliers, agents, and Government agencies, to be ready for ‘an unprecedented level of change potentially coming in with little or no notice.’
A ‘no deal’ would certainly appear to be more of a possibility now and it is prudent to plan for this potential outcome. However while we are not a political organisation we remain firmly of the view that a deal that supports frictionless, free-flowing frontiers is the best outcome and as far as we are aware this is still the Government’s aim. We still hope that the UK and EU can come to a sensible arrangement ahead of the deadline
BPA stated.
This funding comes after the Department’s announcement of the Freight Capacity Framework initiative. This aims at shipping and ferry operators and securing category one goods, such as medicines.
What is more, the UK Government has also announced money for councils in the run up to 31 October 2019.
