The UK Road Haulage Association (RHA) has warned that a ‘hard Brexit’ as preferred by Prime Minister Theresa May will add costs for local transport businesses and slow down the country’s supply chain.
“Leaving the single market and customs union will inevitably add a degree of administrative cost,” commented RHA Chief Executive, Richard Burnett.
“Far more damaging, however, would be if the supply chain slowed down as a result of an HMRC (Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs, a non-ministerial Government department responsible for the collection of taxes, ed.) logjam.”
Burnett explained that should the UK exit the single market and the customs union, HMRC would need to have significantly greater resources than at present.
“We will have to have the ability to clear customs without delay, 24/7. The Customs resource, as it stands, quite simply would not be able to cope,” he said.
“It is essential for supply chains in manufacturing, food distribution and retail that HMRC has sufficient resources to cope from Day 1 with the increased volume.
“We need to maintain fluidity through the ports for the trucks that provide a vital trade service.”