Jean-Marc Puissesseau, who heads French channel ports, has dismissed apocalyptic forecasts of post-Brexit chaos on the Dover to Calais trade route, calling the warnings “C’est la bullsh**”.
Remainers have long-warned of a litany of potential problems seceding from the European Union could inflict on British ports, such as increased traffic jams, a significant reduction in import volume, and more.
However, Puissesseau stated once the UK leaves the EU, it will be a ‘third country’ in the manner of other European nations that aren’t EU members, and there is “no reason” this would create any problems. He likened a post-Brexit customs declarations system to passports for passengers, a “completely normal” arrangement travelers “do all the time” without any apparent difficulty.
“British authorities have been doing a great deal to prepare. People say they are asleep but I can assure you they’re highly professional and they are ready. There are certain individuals in the UK who are whipping up this catastrophism for their own reasons. This has provoked a lot of concern but basically ‘c’est la bullsh**’. If both sides do their homework, traffic will be completely fluid,” he said.
Freight vehicles going through Dover are already subject to passport and security checks, and Whitehall has announced £344 million more funding to be spent on new border and customs operations – this will see an extra 500 border force officers recruited, and enhanced training for customs agents.
Should a traffic ‘bottleneck’ be created, a congestion management system known as ‘Operation Brock’ would be initiated on a section of the M20 motorway, with traffic allowed to flow in both directions on the same carriageway, with trucks left queuing on the other side. If necessary, a disused airfield near Ramsgate could be used as a lorry park, and the M26 opened up.