The UK’s Christmas meals deliveries are in danger as new EU border checks might disrupt the circulate of recent items, warns Logistics UK.
The commerce group is elevating alarms over the EU’s forthcoming Entry/Exit System (EES), set to launch on 10 November, which mandates fingerprint and facial recognition checks for all non-EU passengers at Dover.
In keeping with Logistics UK, these new necessities might create extreme tailbacks and jeopardise the graceful motion of products. The organisation has known as for a nationwide consciousness marketing campaign to mitigate potential chaos at borders.
Analysis signifies that the EES will lengthen the processing time for a automobile with 4 passengers from underneath a minute to as a lot as seven minutes. A examine by Imperial Faculty London estimates that every further minute might add roughly 10 miles to the size of queues. Worst-case eventualities counsel delays of as much as 14 hours for travellers, a scenario highlighted by Ashford Council in proof to Parliament earlier this yr.
Representing highway, rail, and marine transport companies, Logistics UK burdened that the brand new measures might closely disrupt lorry site visitors throughout the essential “food shoulder” interval when Britain turns into more and more depending on imported items. The modifications at Dover would see drivers and passengers handed tablets to scan their very own fingerprints and pictures, with related procedures in place at Eurotunnel in Folkestone and Eurostar terminals.
Final yr, Dover and Eurotunnel managed over half of all UK commerce with continental Europe, dominated by imports equivalent to meat, fruit, greens, dairy merchandise, honey, and eggs. Whereas most truck drivers are EU nationals and exempt from the brand new checks, Logistics UK warns that the knock-on impact of delays to automobile site visitors will nonetheless drive lorries into intensive queues, primarily impacting UK exports like seafood and different perishables.
Nichola Mallon, Head of Commerce at Logistics UK, urged the UK Authorities to steer a complete public consciousness marketing campaign, handle expectations, and supply clear steerage. She additionally known as for contingency plans, equivalent to limiting biometric checks, in case of system failures.
Logistics UK estimates that border delays might price £1.30 per minute per truck, with potential 14-hour holdups including an additional £1,100 per automobile—prices that may in the end be handed on to shoppers. A median delay of 90 minutes per journey might price the UK financial system an estimated £400 million yearly.
In August, the Authorities allotted £10.5 million to assist preparations for the EES, funding break up between Dover, Eurostar, and Eurotunnel. Nonetheless, this funding will largely cowl ongoing infrastructure enhancements, together with expanded border kiosks and processing amenities, fairly than direct options to mitigate EES-related delays.
Whereas preparations for a publicity marketing campaign are underway, particular particulars stay scarce. Earlier initiatives, equivalent to these earlier than Brexit and throughout the Covid pandemic, concerned motorway signage and leafleting at service areas, however Mallon emphasises {that a} broader method is required, leveraging each mainstream and social media channels.
Eurostar has additionally confirmed it’s planning its personal marketing campaign to assist passengers navigate the brand new EES procedures. With the countdown to the festive season already ticking, the highlight is on the Authorities and logistics companies to avert a Christmas provide chain disaster.
