UK Govt working to ease ‘rigmarole’ in Irish Sea
HOLYHEAD PORT FREIGHT DOWN 49% AS A RESULT OF POST-BREXIT RED TAPE
THE UK Government says it’s working to avoid further “rigmarole” and Irish Sea red tape after it was revealed that some Wales-bound products are having to be shipped via a 1,400-mile three-country detour since Brexit.
The plight of one Caernarfon business owner was raised in the Commons on Wednesday after facing eye-watering hikes in the cost of deliveries due to transport companies avoiding Holyhead Port.
While the formerly 170mile journey between Neil Alcock’s Seiont Nurseries and his supplier in Kilkenny used to take just 12 hours via Holyhead, such deliveries now take up to four days and necessitate 1,400 miles of travel via France, Belgium, the Netherlands and England due to hauliers being unwilling to risk being held up at Holyhead or Dublin due to paperwork errors.
Responding to Hywel Williams’ question in Parliament, Northern Ireland Secretary Brandon Lewis MP said: “We’re working to ensure he doesn’t have to go through that kind of rigmarole and can continue to trade in a way that his business, for the benefit of his employees and the customers he’s serving, can continue to do so.”
Similar concerns over the post-Brexit slump were raised during a full meeting of Anglesey Council on Tuesday, which saw one Holyhead member seek assurance that the authority was doing all it could to ramp up travel via the port, which remains one of the island’s major employers.
Cllr Bob Llewelyn Jones said: “The freight hauliers don’t want to accept mixed loads, as any single item not having the paperwork would stop the whole load. Why is the paperwork so difficult between Holyhead and Dublin that the Irish exporter prefers to send the freight on such a long journey?
“The Port of Holyhead has been hit by the perfect economic storm, brought about by Brexit. As of the last week of February, freight was down 49%, while between Ireland and France was up by 102%.
“No other port in Europe would put up with this daylight robbery brought about by EU red tape. There’s no need for it. Some spot checks should be all that are needed.
“We have to be seen to be doing all we can to support the two ferry operators and their workforce.
“This is a very serious situation and make no mistake the other port operators in the UK and France are doing all they can to take our traffic through their port and their local authorities will be doing all they can to encourage them.”
Leader Cllr Llinos Medi stressed that the authority was in talks with politicians across the various divides and governments as well as counterparts in the Irish Government, tackling the issue from “every possible angle to keep Holyhead Port high on the agenda”.
Meanwhile, MP Virginia Crosbie has welcomed a new UK-wide transport infrastructure review which highlighted some locally relevant schemes including potential improvements to the A55 and a new ferry route between Holyhead and Warrenpoint in Northern Ireland.
But in response to a written question from Ms Crosbie, Robert Courts from the Department for Transport said it was still too early to identify any long-term trends.
“My officials or I have had a number of discussions with ferry, port and haulage operators in relation to Irish Sea traffic since January 1, encompassing reductions in traffic at Holyhead, Fishguard and Pembroke compared with equivalent weeks in previous years,” he wrote.
“A significant proportion of these reductions is likely to be attributable to the expansion and take-up of direct services recently introduced and strongly promoted between the Republic of Ireland and other EU ports. It is, however, too early to identify any longer term trends or say what the longer term impacts will be.
“The Government is, however, confident that Welsh ports, and Holyhead in particular, will continue to provide critical routes to and from the Republic of Ireland and continental Europe, irrespective of direct links for haulage between Ireland and France.
“The land bridge route has significant advantages for hauliers over maritime routes and the Government is confident that Welsh ports will continue to thrive as we build on the opportunities provided by being an independent trading nation.”
WELSH Government has confirmed the site for a planned new Border Control Post (BCP) in Holyhead.
Physical checks are required on certain goods entering the UK from the EU due to Brexit and the deal struck by the UK Government.
They were due in stages from 1 April and from 1 July, but most import checks have now been pushed back to January 1, 2022.
Border Control Posts (BCPs), where the required physical inspections will take place, are being established across the UK.
At Holyhead, inspections will be required on goods such as animals, plants and products of animal origin.
These checks are the responsibility of the Welsh Government, which has announced that Plot 9 at Parc Cybi has been selected for the post.
A planning consultation under a Special Development Order will begin shortly.
HMRC will take on another nearby plot to deal with customs and immigration checks.
Minister for Environment, Energy and Rural Affairs Lesley Griffiths said last week: “Whilst we welcome the recognition from the UK Government yesterday that the original timescale for introducing border checks was too challenging we remain in discussion with them to ensure that enough time is provided to adapt to the new circumstances in an effective manner, minimising disruption for business.
“I would like to thank the Isle of Anglesey Council for their support to date and look forward to working with them as we now move ahead.”
Anglesey Council Leader Cllr Llinos Medi said: “The Welsh Government’s continued commitment to the Port and Anglesey is greatly valued.
“Our hope is that this development will now provide a catalyst to attract other associated businesses to Parc Cybi, given its close proximity to the Port.”
Ynys Môn MS Rhun ap Iorwerth said: “I’m glad that a site for this border control post has now been identified, and that it’s a new site in Holyhead, as I’d been calling for.
“We’re still awaiting UK Government’s permanent customs post plan, and I hope that decision, too, will be made at the earliest opportunity.
“Again, this must be in Holyhead.
“The UK Government has dragged its heels so much: it baffles me that these decisions are being taken after we’ve left the EU.”