4 years on from the referendum, and with just 4 mths to go until D-day, the gov has launched a consultation (https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="🤔" title="Denkendes Gesicht" aria-label="Emoji: Denkendes Gesicht">) on how it should manage UK-EU lorry traffic in Kent.

Operation Brock is back... 2/ https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/enforcing-operation-brock-plans-in-2021/proposed-legislative-amendments-on-enforcing-operation-brock">https://www.gov.uk/governmen...
It& #39;s probably the soberest assessment yet of the dangers to traffic flow from Dec. 31, even with a free-trade deal with the EU.

It& #39;s these three paragraphs that make DfT very nervous 3/
Gov says it expects levels of readiness for new border checks among traders to be *about the same as in Oct. 2019*, due to coronavirus - and it was poor back then.

So a year longer to prepare for Brexit, but no meaningful improvement in preparation 4/
So what& #39;s the plan? Lorry drivers entering Kent will need to get a special permit by filling in details on a new gov website. No permit? ÂŁ300 fine. Confirms our story from June 5/ https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-06-29/after-brexit-lorries-set-to-need-taxman-s-permission-to-move?sref=yMmXm5Iy">https://www.bloomberg.com/news/arti...
How will it be enforced? Checks by enforcement officials and potentially cameras recognising number plates. If intercepted, a lorry will be sent to one of the new Brexit lorry parks 6/ https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-07-24/u-k-plans-truck-stop-by-the-white-cliffs-of-dover-after-brexit?sref=yMmXm5Iy">https://www.bloomberg.com/news/arti...
And there& #39;s a back-up plan if the new IT system fails -- good old fashioned manual checking of lorries at the lorry parks, if queues have built up. But no checking if traffic is flowing, which is risky... 7/
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