U.K. Makes Plans for Medicines After Brexit
The U.K. government has signed freight capacity contracts that will help ensure vital medicines continue to enter the U.K. after Brexit.
On Friday, Transport Secretary Grant Shapps announced that Brittany Ferries, DFDS, P&O and Stena Line will be ready to deliver capacity equivalent to thousands of heavy goods vehicles per week from October 31. The contracts will be in place for six months and are the first to result from the government’s freight capacity framework. Collectively they are worth up to £86.6 million ($110 million).
Shapps said: “The U.K. is getting ready to leave the E.U. on the October 31, and, like any sensible government, we are preparing for all outcomes. Our decisive action means freight operators will be ready and waiting to transport vital medicines into the country from the moment we leave.”
The firms will operate on routes which have been assessed as less likely to face any potential disruption, if the U.K. leaves the E.U. without a deal.
In addition to securing the required freight capacity, Shapps says the government is taking all necessary steps to ensure there is limited disruption at the border after Brexit. Over the summer, the Department for Transport announced £30 million ($38 million) to bolster the country’s ports so that they can help continue the smooth flow of trade and transport after October 31.
Last month, the government launched an information campaign aimed at hauliers across the U.K. and Europe, advising them on the documentation they need to operate freely across the border.