LORRIES heading for Northern Ireland could quickly back up on to main roads in Scotland if one encounters a problem with Brexit paperwork, a senior harbour executive warned.
Regulations around the movement of goods from Great Britain are under discussion following withdrawal from the EU.
Engagement with government customs authorities has been significantly ramped up in recent times, but concerns remain, port operators said.
The head of P&O’s Larne to Cairnryan ferry operation, Roger Armson, said: “The distance between check-in and the main arterial route to the central belt of Scotland is very short.
“You do not need to get much of a delay to start backing traffic up on to those routes.”
READ MORE: Brexit update: Michael Gove and David Frost answer questions on EU talks
Armson expressed concern if paperwork was not in order after a haulier turned up at the south-west Scotland port: “If a unit arrives without a valid goods movement reference there are no facilities in Scotland for that unit to park up. That is a bigger concern to me and something we are looking at very closely.”
About 200 lorryloads a day travel from the rest of the UK to supply Northern Ireland’s supermarkets. Stormont’s agriculture committee took evidence on Brexit planning from Northern Ireland’s port authorities yesterday.
Maurice Bullick, compliance director at Belfast Harbour, said: “There has been a long engagement with HMRC. It is only in the last short while that the engagement with HMRC has really ramped up.”
Under the protocol contained in the Brexit withdrawal agreement, Northern Ireland will remain in the EU single market for goods when the transition period ends.
That will require additional regulatory checks for animal-based food products entering Northern Ireland from Great Britain.
Port operators confirmed new screening facilities for goods arriving in Northern Ireland from Great Britain will not be ready for the end of the Brexit transition period, but said contingency measures would be in place.
READ MORE: MSPs vote to withhold consent from Tory Brexit power grab bill
Negotiations between the UK and EU on a trade deal have covered areas like which goods are “at risk” of travelling from Great Britain into the Republic of Ireland via Northern Ireland and should pay tariffs.
Cairnryan is mainly served by the A77 and A75, which form two of the most important freight routes between Northern Ireland and the mainland UK.
Campaigners have repeatedly called for the roads to be improved, with traffic expected to increase post-Brexit. South of Scotland SNP MSP Emma Harper is to raise the issue at both Scottish and UK government level.
She said in June: “It’s time that further investment was made to improve both the roads, these are main arterial routes through the south-west of Scotland.”
Scottish Secretary Alister Jack insisted it is an issue for the Scottish Government.
Why are you making commenting on The National only available to subscribers?
We know there are thousands of National readers who want to debate, argue and go back and forth in the comments section of our stories. We’ve got the most informed readers in Scotland, asking each other the big questions about the future of our country.
Unfortunately, though, these important debates are being spoiled by a vocal minority of trolls who aren’t really interested in the issues, try to derail the conversations, register under fake names, and post vile abuse.
So that’s why we’ve decided to make the ability to comment only available to our paying subscribers. That way, all the trolls who post abuse on our website will have to pay if they want to join the debate – and risk a permanent ban from the account that they subscribe with.
The conversation will go back to what it should be about – people who care passionately about the issues, but disagree constructively on what we should do about them. Let’s get that debate started!
Callum Baird, Editor of The National
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereLast Updated:
Report this comment Cancel