The end of the Brexit transition period could lead to “significant disruption” at UK borders, the boss of a haulage industry body has warned.
Richard Burnett, chief executive of the Road Haulage Association (RHA), told MPs that ministers have a “self-belief in their own rhetoric at the moment that everything will be OK”.
He said: “The devil is in the detail, and some of the fundamental things that need to change, and some of the things that need to be invested in, are simply not happening fast enough.”
Mr Burnett expressed concern about a lack of customs agents, what will happen at new customs sites and that a new border IT system has not been released.
He told the committee: “My fear at this stage is there will be significant disruption, potentially, at the year-end.”
Tory backlash
Boris Johnson is facing a growing Tory backlash over controversial plans to override key elements of his Brexit deal with Brussels, in breach of international law.
MPs reacted angrily after Northern Ireland Secretary Brandon Lewis said on Tuesday that legislation to change the Withdrawal Agreement would go against international law in a “very specific and limited way”.
Ministers have argued the measures are necessary to ensure “damaging” tariffs are not imposed by “default” on goods travelling from the rest of the UK to Northern Ireland if negotiations with the EU on a free trade agreement fail.
Related – PM’s “chaotic” handling of Brexit talks has aspects of Donald Trump, says former US ambassador
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