Brexit: An Interview with a Lorry Driver

The issue of how Brexit will affect the British economy.  Much of the debate usually revolves around arguing over various economic facts and statistics. As such it can be all too easy to be drawn away from what happens on the ground level, specifically those that make a living via the EU.  In this blog entry, Ronan Doyle, a friend of mine and a self-employed lorry driver has volunteered to give his perspective on how the EU effects his daily livelihood in this short interview.

Please could you describe briefly what you do for a living?

I am a lorry driver. One of many. We are the blood cells of the country. Glance around you. Everything which you see, except the trees have arrived by road at some stage. Even the road.

How does the UK being in the EU make the practicalities of your job easier?

International road transport has grown enormously in the past fifty years. The EU has identified the need to connect industry with customers in a fast and efficient manner. This is to everyone's benefit and has been the backbone of our prosperity. Before the EU freight used to spend a lot of time hanging around at closed borders. If the border staff had gone home for the night, the driver would have to wait until morning to declare the goods and be allowed entry. The German system was particularly tricky. They had a 'tankshien' regulation which involved dipping the tank and paying import duty on the fuel (less the tankshien tickets issued on export for previous trips). The border opening times often conflicted with drivers hours regulations. Together with lots of currencies and poor roads the whole thing was very hard work. The EU has given us free movement for goods. We simply fill out a 'CMR' form in five minutes describing the freight and it is produced upon request alongside the driver's passport. The EU has also improved the road network through it's regional development fund. This has bought us fast access to our customers and created jobs. We can even crash safely with the EU vehicle safety regulations, then phone the boss to report the accident with our very cheap roaming tariff, thanks to the EU!

Post Brexit would it not be possible for the UK to come up with a practical customs/border arrangement similar to non-EU countries like Norway or Switzerland?

If we are to leave the customs union, a "Norway" deal is the best we can hope for. Norway bypasses the full four hour freight clearance in favour of a 10 minute partial pre-clearance which allows the freight to proceed. This sounds fantastic, but should be approached with caution. Whilst the Norwegian system takes 10 min's to clear, the queue to apply takes two hours. This is in rural Scandinavia. The problem in Dover/Calais would be magnified enormously. In this scenario I predict that passing the border would take all day (the law then puts you to bed for a further 11 hours before you may proceed) The M20 would probably be permanently on 'stack' daytime and be impassable. It would probably equalise during the night and build again from 6am every day. Lot's of extra parking will be required on both sides of the channel for drivers who are out of hours and industry and customers would suffer.

Do you feel that the French authorities in Calais give enough support to you to do your job?

The authorities in Calais do their best in a tricky situation. I personally hang back in Belgium to check and secure the vehicle. If I am not going to make it to England I stay where I am. Usually I get no problems. The flare up's which are seen on Youtube are not, in my experience typical of crossing the channel. The only problems which I have encountered was an attempted boarding by migrants in Caen. I found the French Gendarmerie to be both friendly and supportive. I firmly disagree with the UK's policy of handing out huge fines to hapless lorry drivers who are, after all, the victims of crime.

If Brexit proceeds on it's current course, what difficulties will your business face?

I'm not sure what the current course of Brexit is, but I don't feel bad. Neither does Theresa May. To her credit however she is fighting the horrendous possibility of "hard WTO Brexit" Leaving without a deal and full freight clearance will mean that after leaving the EU Friday night, the M20, M26 and M25 will likely be impassable by Monday lunchtime. Supermarket rdc's will be in tight supply by midweek, gaps will appear in supermarket shelves by Friday night. Rumour would get out about food shortage and panic buying would ensue. Those without the means to stock up on tinned food would literally be going hungry by week two! This sounds far-fetched but it is a very real possibility given the tight supply lines of 21'st century commercial practice. Then and only then will people see that you cannot eat blue passports.