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Date Published: 05/10/2021
ARCHIVED - Smaller Murcia transport companies crippled by Brexit
Complex customs procedures and extended waiting times have led to many Murcia-based carriers pulling out of the UK altogether
Since the United Kingdom officially left the EU at the end of last year, smaller companies transporting fruit and vegetables from the Region of Murcia to Europe are facing a huge rise in costs and are searching out alternative markets.
According to Cartagena-based carrier Tortasola, rising fuel prices combined with increased waiting times to enter the UK mean that smaller companies can no longer bear the costs, and manager José Antonio Hernández said that he has had no option but to trade the UK for destinations that involve less paperwork and offer more benefits. Before Brexit the company was travelling to the likes of Sheffield, Birmingham or Cambridge on a regular basis; now, they’re lucky if they send one truck a week to England.
With smaller companies pulling out of the UK, the larger fleets have been put under more pressure to ensure a frequent delivery of fresh produce from southern Spain. This has been the experience of the Agetrans company, who has committed to sending 60 trucks weekly to the UK from this month, compared to the 40 shipments pre-Brexit. Manager Domingo Ortiz agreed that the UK is unfortunately no longer an attractive market for Spanish companies, as while cargo delivery times have remained the same, customs procedures have drastically increased, requiring more manpower and time.
Added to this is the extra cost of security, alarms and driver training to prevent people hiding in the trucks to illegally cross the border to the UK. As well as the danger posed by this method of transport, if an illegal passenger is discovered, a police procedure must be initiated which could see the truck out of commission for several days.
Since Brexit, the cost of maintaining these services has increased by 20% and companies have to make a choice on whether to take the hit on their profits or pass the cost onto their customers, neither of which is an ideal solution.
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