According to an FTA survey, the top three priorities for hauliers after Brexit are: continued full access to the Single Market, tariff-free access for goods and the preservation of access to the Single Market for services.
Maintaining the ability to continue hiring non-UK drivers who have the right to work in both the UK and the Single Market was also identified as important.
64 per cent of those asked said that the short-term prospects for their business would be negative, but 50 per cent felt that in the long term things would become worse
“With the UK’s current driver shortage, it’s no surprise that labour mobility issues are at the forefront of international transport businesses minds and this is certainly something FTA will be pressing the Government to prioritise this when the negotiations begin,” said Chris Yarsley, FTA’s EU affairs manager. “These results reflect the fact that companies prefer certainty to the unknown, which is where we find ourselves at the moment.
“However, FTA and its members are ready to face the challenge head-on and engage with Government to obtain the best possible deal so that UK operators can continue to deliver the goods, no matter where they are.”