Government insists its green lane scheme frees freight firms from 'burdensome' bureaucracy in face of hauliers' claims to contrary

It was responding to further criticism of the Windsor Framework in the News Letter this week, this time from Peter Summerton, the managing director of freight firm McCulla, who described a host of headaches which remain unresolved by the new EU/UK deal – adding that the government needs to come clean about the fact.

His remarks come on the tail of similar comments from Paul Jackson, the owner of Palyn, a transport management consultancy firm.

The Northern Ireland Office was asked about Mr Summerton’s comments in particular.

It directed the News Letter to the Foreign, Commonwealth, and Development Office instead.

It issued a statement from a spokesperson which did not address the specific points Mr Summerton had made.

It said: “A first-of-its-kind green lane will enable goods destined for Northern Ireland to move easily without burdensome customs bureaucracy. This will be underpinned by the existing Trader Support Service.

“Ministers have engaged extensively with a range of businesses and we have spent a significant amount of time listening and addressing their concerns.

"We will continue to work closely with businesses in Northern Ireland, and across the whole United Kingdom, as we put these new arrangements in place."

Among Mr Summerton’s specific criticisms were that the EU has “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”.

He said 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 for its part has said it has upped the turnover threshold from £500,000 to £2,000,000 below which companies involved in processing are eligible to move goods in the green lane.

Manufacturers above that turnover threshold will still be eligible to benefit from the green lane if they are moving goods for sale or end use in NI in sectors like animal feed, healthcare, construction, and not-for-profit.

Companies moving goods into NI for processing or manufacturing for use in the animal feed, healthcare, construction, not-for-profit, and food sectors “may also be eligible to move such goods in the green lane even if the company has a turnover in excess of £2 million” said Baroness Penn, Parliamentary Secretary to the Treasury.

“Movements of goods not eligible for the green lane, but which can be demonstrated not to have entered the EU Single Market, will be able to benefit from a new tariff reimbursement scheme."