'Like a bad dream': Midland businesses' lorries caught up in Covid freight ban
Lorries from haulage businesses across the West Midlands are caught up in the ban on hauliers crossing the English Channel to France.
Founder and managing director of Kingswinford's JJX Logistics, John Donovan, said he had been left "numb and shocked" by the situation.
The business on Pensnett Trading Estate has one driver on the Continent and another caught up in the queues in Kent to the ports.
The Department for Transport yesterday advised hauliers to avoid travelling to Kent until further notice
Mr Donovan said: "We have got lots of deliveries to make to Europe and as early as Sunday night we started talks with our customers who we should be getting stuff out for. How we are going to get out there I don't know yet.
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"This is a dreadful state of affairs for the industry. Something has got to be done rapidly or the whole of the delivery network around the country will be hit.
"It will just create a huge backlog. Trucks are just stuck with export down there and with this country so highly dependent on imports, the implications for the supply chain are just frightening," said Mr Donovan, who said it was "like a bad dream".
The Black Country Chamber of Commerce's chief executive Corin Crane said: “The Tier 4 and border closure announcements over the weekend further impacts on many businesses already dealing with the challenges of a no deal Brexit and operating in a Covid-19 world.
Pressures
“Many sectors and firms in the Black Country now face additional pressures during a season which, ordinarily, would be one of their best trading periods.
“Local businesses relying on just in time supply chains or handling perishable goods are now confronted by gridlock, increased costs and severe uncertainty. We call upon politicians to work with their European counterparts to urgently ensure that borders remain open to enable the swift movement of goods and resolve the current blocks preventing a Brexit deal.
"We are also asking the Government to act now and ensure that any businesses further disrupted by these pressures to be able to access the help and support they need to ensure they can continue to trade into 2021 and beyond.”
Gary Burke, managing director of Wolverhampton removals business Burke Bros said fortunately a decision had been taken not to do any removals to France on the Sunday before Christmas but the specialist overseas removals business has many collections lined up between Christmas and the start of the new year to go out on January 3 and 4.
"It was the first Sunday this year we have not sent a van out to Europe, but we just don't know what we are going to be able to do.
"With us leaving the EU, the end of Stamp Duty at the end of March and Covid it is just a nightmare," said Mr Burke.
He said that fortunately the business was able to move people in houses in Tier 4 areas and a number of Burke Bros vans would be moving people in London this week.
