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Calais Port Chief Calls Warnings of Post-Brexit Chaos 'C'est La Bulls***'

CC BY 2.0 / Marcus Meissner / Dover ferry portDover port, England
Dover port, England - Sputnik International
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Speaking to The Daily Telegraph, the Port Boulogne Calais chief claimed such fears are erroneous and paranoid assumptions on the part of interested individuals who don’t know what they are talking about and/or have an axe to grind.

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.

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