Checks at the ports is the only sensible post Brexit solution

There has been a lot of unfounded scare stories put out in the media regarding a border in the Irish Sea.
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Letters to Editor

If checks are required after Brexit, the only sensible, financially viable and non controversial place you could have these is at the local ports.

Each port, Belfast, Larne, L/Derry would have a customs holding station for around 20-25 vehicles each.

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There would be similar holding stations on the other Scottish/English ports.

Northern Ireland registered vehicles would be exempt from checks.

While all the other lorry or car drivers are enjoying their fry on board the ferry roughly 5% of them will get a text message asking them to enter the holding station for some extra checks on the way out.

There would be minimum disruption and no tail backs on the roads.

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All vehicle registration numbers would already be stored by the ferry companies so no need for vehicle recognition cameras.

There would be no need for infrastructure on the huge number of road border crossing on island of Ireland.

At the airports everyone will have to present a photo ID, much in the same way they do now.

Anybody with an Irish/British passport for or valid UK/Republic of Ireland driving licence would have no checks, while there would be extra checks for all other foreign nationals.

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There would be very minimum disruption of Northern Irish companies to both the UK internal market or access to the south of Ireland.

Calling it a border in the Irish Sea is a nonsense and only raises the fears of unionists.

There is no constitutional change here, all it would be is extra vigilance and check at the ports which I believe everyone would welcome.

John McSorley, Belfast BT5