A government Brexit report has flagged potential ‘significant disruption’ at UK ports for passengers travelling to the EU this year.
The EU Exit: UK Border Post Transition report, by MPs in the Public Accounts Committee, has urged the government to plan for an increase in passenger and trade volumes as travel abroad resumes to normal levels and further checks are introduced at ports.
It highlighted Dover, where EU officials carry out checks on the UK side of the border, as a likely port for queues to “build up” in the UK.
In addition, it warned border arrangements may be “further challenged” by the introduction of required biometric passport checks by the EU.
The report said: “There is potential for disruption at the border, when passenger volumes return to more normal levels and when further checks at ports are introduced as a result of the EU’s planned introduction of its new Entry and Exit system.
“Passenger volumes, since the new border arrangements were introduced at the end of the transition period, have been a fraction of pre-pandemic levels.
“With closer to normal passenger volumes and the EU’s planned introduction of its new Entry and Exit System to enter the EU expected in 2022, there is a risk that it will take longer to process passengers travelling from the UK to the EU.”
The committee called on government departments to do “all they can to mitigate this risk” and added that forward planning should “more generally” factor in increases in passenger and trade traffic.
The Home Office was already “in conversation with the French authorities”, according to the report, about operating new border controls “without causing queues” but stressed talks were at an early stage.
The report gave a recommendation to government to set out its scenario planning and modelling for passenger volumes this year, including clarification of how it will manage the increased pressures, contingencies required related to the new EU Entry and Exit System and requirements at juxtaposed controls.
The government has been told to write to the committee within six months with an update on its planning and whether its modelling for this year has proved accurate.
The publication of the report prompted travel trade union TSSA to warn of the impact of Brexit on the travel trade.
General secretary Manuel Cortes said: “This report from the Public Accounts Committee is clear – the deep negative effects of Brexit are leaving our travel trade out in the cold.
“If we are not careful there will be no travel trade to speak of in the future, thanks to the double whammy of Brexit and the pandemic.
“Ministers should be clear, our union won’t let jobs be lost, and if they need help coming up with a strategy for travel then they should pick up the phone.”