Letter from Peter Summerton: We hauliers know there’s a border in the Irish Sea, as do politicians - and they need now to admit it

A letter from Peter Summerton, Managing director of McCulla Ireland Transport:
By Letters
Published 30th Mar 2023, 06:31 BST
Updated 30th Mar 2023, 06:32 BST
The UK government has continued to insist is that it has removed any sense of a border in the Irish Sea but has provided scant evidence to substantiate this. Meanwhile the BBC still maintains a graphic that wrongly reads: “Goods destined for NI go into the Green lane meaning they wouldn't have to be checked and would require minimal paperwork"The UK government has continued to insist is that it has removed any sense of a border in the Irish Sea but has provided scant evidence to substantiate this. Meanwhile the BBC still maintains a graphic that wrongly reads: “Goods destined for NI go into the Green lane meaning they wouldn't have to be checked and would require minimal paperwork"
The UK government has continued to insist is that it has removed any sense of a border in the Irish Sea but has provided scant evidence to substantiate this. Meanwhile the BBC still maintains a graphic that wrongly reads: “Goods destined for NI go into the Green lane meaning they wouldn't have to be checked and would require minimal paperwork"

It is one month since the UK government and European Union announced that they had agreed new trading arrangements for goods, especially foodstuffs moving between Great Britain and Northern Ireland. Through the course of the month the UK government has continued to insist is that it has removed any sense of a border in the Irish Sea but has provided scant evidence to substantiate this.

However, Brussels has again provided much more clarity with head of the European Commission's animal health and food safety division stating that Border Control Posts must be enhanced at four Northern Irish Ports as a provision to enabling the Windsor Framework to even start in October 2023. Permanent facilities must built by 2025. Mr Bernard Van Goetham has also confirmed hauliers concerns that the new provisions will only support the retail sector and other industries will be required to use the red lane. This means that goods not going directly to a retailer in NI will be subject to the same controls as goods going to France.

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It was also confirmed that even in the badly named ‘green lane’ 100% of electronic documentary checks will remain and there will be identity and physical checks on goods. The government has also agreed to a bespoke retail labelling system without properly engaging with industry on its implementation or supply chain impact. Ensuring the supply chain is fully informed of the detailed requirements is fundamental to making any new arrangements work.

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The BBC still maintains a graphic on its website dated February 27 that suggests that the new plan will see goods split into two separate lanes. Beside a map of the UK and Ireland, the words read: “Goods destined for Northern Ireland go into the Green lane meaning they wouldn't have to be checked and would require minimal paperwork. Goods destined for Ireland and the EU go into the red lane and checks are carried out." This is clearly incorrect as goods entering NI will transit in both the red and green lanes and subject to checks and customs declarations.

The secretary of state has suggested that the new arrangements mean the processes required to move GB to NI will be back to near pre-Brexit levels. This just doesn't stack up with the clarity of information from the EU. One month on the Windsor Spin needs to stop and the government and other politicians who know what's happening need to come clean on the complexities required to move goods across the Irish Sea so the supply chain can take the appropriate measures to deal with the impact.

Peter Summerton, Managing director of McCulla Ireland Transport, Co Down

Related topics:Northern IrelandIrish SeaEuropean UnionBBCPorts