Government must act on demands from the haulage industry to relieve pressure on supply chains, says the British Ports Association.
Commenting on widely reported supply chain pressures, Richard Ballantyne, Chief Executive at the British Ports Association said: "The lack haulage capacity has contributed to inefficiencies across the supply chain. We are seeing increased wait times at ports. The shortages pushes up costs and puts suppliers under more pressure. As many have warned, Covid and Brexit have obviously contributed to haulier shortages and we are very supportive of the haulage industry’s calls for a review of the post Brexit immigration rules for European based HGV drivers. Action is needed now, particularly ahead of the introduction of new enforcement controls for imports in January which could add more pressures on the supply chain."
About BPA
The British Ports Association represents the interests of over 100 port members, covering more than 400 ports, terminal operators and port facilities. The UK ports industry plays a key role in the country’s economy as 95% of the UK’s international trade – imports and exports – is carried through British ports. UK ports also handle more than 60 million international and domestic passenger journeys each year. The UK port industry is the second largest in Europe, handling around 500 million tonnes of freight each year. UK ports directly employ around 115,000 people.
