Britain needs a new law in the wake of Brexit to speed up delivery of major road projects, especially to ports, the Dover MP Charlie Elphicke said this week.

 

His ‘Ready on Day One’ report says that a Brexit Infrastructure Bill would accelerate planning processes and consultative measures including environmental impact assessments for schemes identified by the future Transport Secretary as urgent or essential.

 

He claims that even the simplest road can take two years to build; the time Britain has left to prepare to leave the European Union. A powerful new law to speed through administrative processes would, he adds, enable vital projects to be delivered on time.

 

The report goes on to say that it is critical that complex existing processes “are streamlined if the pace of construction is to increase to anything approaching the required level”. During the Brexit negotiations, it adds, “the national interest must come before vested interests to ensure we deliver for Britain”.

 

Charlie Elphicke also urges the next Government to upgrade roads to the Channel Ports including dualling single carriageway sections of the A2 through Kent. He is also keen to see that delivery of the Lower Thames Crossing and construction of a lorry park beside the M20 are taken forward at the earliest opportunity.

 

“Gridlock at Dover will mean gridlock for the UK economy,” the MP said. “Yet with proper planning we can not only be ready on day one, we can make Brexit a real success.”

 

The report was welcomed by both the Road Haulage Association and the Freight Transport Association.

 

(Photo: Port of Dover)