Call to use town as a Brexit hub

A proposal to use Prestwick as a key export hub in the aftermath of Brexit has been put forward by an emerging business group.

The Confederation of Economic Development Ayrshire says the town could help “significantly address the short term challenges facing the Scottish economy and the infrastructure and logistics support required to confront these challenges”.

Director Chic Brodie said: “Currently Scottish exports are transported via Heathrow and other South East UK airports, or via road and ferry traffic to be dispatched from ports such as Hull, Felixstowe, Dover or, in some cases via connections through Northern Ireland and Eire for surface and sea transport from ports in the South of Eire.

“Of course there are exports made direct from Scotland but given the impending challenges the need for a quantum leap in direct Scottish exports, and indeed needed imports, is immediate.”

Mr Brodie said that Brexit and the Customs Union delays and the current severe shortage of logistics and HGV personnel were among the issues needing to be targeted in Scotland’s economy.

He added: “The proposition is that Scotland develops a web of its own export/ import locations focusing on road, sea and air.

“It is suggested that these not be public enterprises or publicly funded and that there would be six across Scotland and which would integrate transport, storage and logistics functions.

“Prestwick, given its airport, would seem an ideal choice to act as one of these key ports.”