The carnage predicted by the UK’s departure from the EU has failed to materialise, with trade continuing smoothly.
Despite the claims of miles of motorway traffic jams and major delays of goods, traffic between both the UK and the EU has remained normal. Many had speculated that the UK’s departure from the Single Market would cause trade to be delayed and even temporarily cease.
Since the Brexit transition period ended at 11pm on 31st December, approximately 1,000 trucks, 500 cars and 2,000 passengers have passed through Dover to Europe. Traffic between the UK and the Continent has been reduced due to the festive holiday period.
The smooth flow of traffic is the result of the last-minute Trade and Co-operation Agreement finalised by the UK and the EU on Christmas Eve.
The head of customs at Dublin Port, Tom Talbot, said there had been little to no issues regarding the crossings between Ireland and the UK mainland. Hauliers and lorry drivers are required to fill out customs declaration forms before they are allowed to cross the border.
Mr Talbot also noted that the Dublin port was still seeing low numbers, however traffic would pick up in the coming weeks, which could potentially bring a bigger challenge for those wishing to trade across the border.
A trusted trader scheme has been established, to minimise the amount of businesses needing to fill out forms. Around 92 percent of drivers are currently getting green lights at the port after filling out their paperwork correctly.
