Brexit: UK 'sleepwalking into disaster over border plans hauliers warn

                  

The UK is sleepwalking into a disaster over its border plans for the end of the Brexit transition period on 31 December, road hauliers have warned.

Groups representing truckers have written to ministers warning of "severe" disruption to supply chains.Rod McKenzie, from the Road Haulage Association, said the government should "act now before it's too late".But Boris Johnson said the UK was "ready for any eventuality" after the transition period.The government has also given itself powers to build temporary lorry parks in England without local approval.However, Mr McKenzie told BBC News: "It is a real case of the government sleepwalking to a disaster with the border preparations that we have, whether it is a dal or no-deal Brexit at the end of December.

 

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The supply chain on which we are all dependent to get the things we need could be disrupted and there is a lack of government focus and action on this."He added: "When we are trying to emerge from the crisis of Covid, if we then plunge straight into a Brexit-related crisis, that will be a really difficult moment and we need real pace.The difference here is between a disaster area and a disaster area with rocket boosters on.Labour's shadow cabinet office minister, Rachel Reeves, said the government "must urgently come forward with a plan to put workable solutions in place".Speaking to reporters on Friday, Mr Johnson said: "We must make sure that people understand at the end of the year, whatever happens, we're leaving the EU, leaving the transition period.That's why it is vital that people who have questions about what they need to do get onto our government websites look at what they need to do to prepare, and certainly, we will help them.But we will get through this.