Department for Transport outlines plans for the eventuality of a ‘no deal’ Brexit

The UK government has published a series of technical notices which set out plans to be put into place in the unlikely situation the UK leaves the EU without a deal.

The 13 documents by the Department for Transport demonstrate the potential impact a no deal scenario will have on areas of transport policy, including the haulage industry and those driving in and flying to and from Europe.

While the government remains confident of a maintaining a partnership with the EU following the UK’s exit, the DfT is making the sensible step of putting in place contingency measures to ensure holidaymakers and businesses can continue to travel and export after Brexit.

UK citizens planning a trip to Europe in the short term do not need to take immediate action. The government will set out clearly and in good time what additional steps may be required. For business, a more proactive approach will be necessary to ensure new procedures are in place for March 2019 and details are given in the notices.

These notices are in addition to the ongoing active engagement the government continues to have with stakeholders across transport to discuss impacts and opportunities from EU Exit.

Throughout the whole of the Brexit process, the government says its aim has been to ensure that all travel – whether business or personal – remains as friction-free as possible after the UK leaves the EU. The government says that its intention is to recognise EU standards of security and safety and expect its European partners to do the same, and believes it is in the mutual interests of both parties to do so.

A recent survey by KPMG UK shows that the British public are concerned that UK transport networks could be placed under strain in the event of a no deal outcome from Brexit negotiations.

The poll, of 3,044 members of the British public, found that if the UK does not strike a deal with the European Union, 62.9 per cent believe that they will face severe travel delays across the transport network, particularly at ports. Half of the respondents (50.3 per cent) believe that flight delays and cancellations are likely to occur and that travel between the UK and EU will become difficult (52.9 per cent).

Ed Thomas, UK Head of Transport at KPMG said: “These numbers paint a picture of the level of uncertainty amongst the British public with regards to Brexit. If there is a no deal outcome then the UK government needs to start planning and reassuring the British public that the transport system in the UK will operate as usual. The government also needs to analyse the impacts on business of any backlog of containers and lorries at UK ports and ensure that appropriate contingency planning is in place.”