A leading trade group has warned that the new fingerprint scheme designed to tighten EU border checks risks disrupting deliveries of fresh food in the run-up to Christmas.
Logistics UK said the rules, which will require all non-EU passengers at Dover to have fingerprint and facial recognition checks from Nov 10, will create tailbacks and interrupt the flow of goods.
According to calculations done by Imperial College of London and published by The Telegraph, the new fingerprint system could increase processing times for a car with a family of four from less than 60 seconds to seven minutes and every extra minute adds about 10 miles to queues.
Logistics UK has raised concern that the new system might disrupt incoming food truck traffic, leaving lorries in queue for hours on the M2 and that too, during a critical time during the onset of winter leaves Britain reliant on imported products.
Logistics UK estimates the cost of border delays at £1.30 a minute, with a 14-hour hold-up involving an additional expense of £1,100 per truck, which will then be passed on to consumers. Even an average 90-minute extension to journeys would cost the economy £400m a year, it said.
Nichola Mallon, head of trade at Logistics UK, told The Telegraph, "If the EES is implemented as planned, I’m afraid we’re facing huge upheaval in the supply chain. The Government needs to take the lead now on raising awareness among the public, managing their expectations and signposting where they can go for advice.
