FACT BRIEF

Has Brexit caused traffic issues in England?

Tuesday, February 8, 2022

By Jacob Alabab-Moser

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YES

New border checks resulting from Brexit are contributing to longer delays for trucks transiting through the port of Dover. Traffic restrictions to prevent buildup on the road leading to the port have been imposed 18 times in 2022 as of February—a notable increase compared to the same time of year in previous years.

Under the U.K. government’s new Goods Vehicle Movement Service system, customs now requires the completion of paperwork before the export of goods to Europe, as well as document checks, which have been taking up to 15 minutes per vehicle.

Port authorities maintain the increased custom checks are "not the sole reason for queues," citing increased freight volumes, port construction and a reduced number of ferries in operation due to ship refitting. They warn that traffic could worsen in September when biometric checks are due to be implemented at the port.

This fact brief is responsive to conversations such as this one.

Sources

Sky News Record use of Dover emergency traffic measures as new Brexit border checks bite

BBC What's been causing lorry queues at Dover?

Guardian Dover blames queues on spike in freight traffic not Brexit

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Fact briefs are short, credibly sourced summaries that offer “yes/no” answers in response to claims found online. They rely on publicly available, often primary source data and documents. Fact briefs are created by contributors to Gigafact —a nonprofit project looking to expand participation in fact-checking and protect the democratic process. See all fact briefs here.