Kristian Kaas Mortensen, Strategic Director at Girteka Logistics, has told Bloomberg that he expects 31 mile-queues at the UK border next month, and as a result, many hauliers will say „it’s better to avoid [the UK] for the next three to six months.”
According to Bloomberg, Kaas Mortensen said the following when asked about hauliers’ preparedness for Brexit:
“What does it help to be prepared when you can’t even reach the territory? Both the small guy and the big guy will in that case say ‘this looks like a situation it’s better to avoid for the next three to six months.”
On top of that, Kaas Mortensen was also quoted as saying the chaos at the border could cause supplies of some items in supermarkets to run low:
“It looks very concerning at the moment. Chaos and unpredictability can lead to trucking capacity being allocated to other markets, leaving U.K. supermarkets with less than full shelves.”
The comments from Girteka’s Strategic Director very much tie in with those made earlier this month by experienced freight forwarder John Shirley.
During an interview with James O’Brien on LBC, Shirley explained how drivers paid by the kilometre instead of by the hour will not accept being stuck in queues at the UK border. That, as well as sufficient demand within the EU, would mean most European hauliers deciding to avoid the UK and operate primarily in the EU instead.
Photo credit: Girteka Logistics