Brexit: Drakeford says UK ministers lacking urgency on ports

Irish hauliers have been bypassing ports in Wales because of Brexit, say industry leaders

The first minister has accused the UK government of lacking urgency addressing falling freight numbers at Welsh ports.

Mark Drakeford called the UK government transport secretary's response to a letter on the matter "pure Pollyanna".

A little over a month since the post-Brexit transition period ended freight at Welsh ports is "dramatically down".

UK ministers said there were expert helplines, webinars and trade advisers to help firms facing "challenges".

• Brexit: Irish hauliers 'bypassing Welsh ports', say bosses

• Brexit: Hauliers fear 'mayhem' at Holyhead port

• Brexit: UK-Ireland lorry traffic at Holyhead port slumps

Mr Drakeford told a Senedd committee on Thursday that his Economy Minister, Ken Skates, had written to the UK government's Transport Secretary Grant Shapps, whose response he summarised.

"There is nothing that the secretary of state [Mr Shapps] could see that was going wrong at Holyhead or in the south west of Wales, that these are merely teething troubles and that they will all just sort themselves out and everything will be fine again," the first minister said.

"Well, of course, I hope that he's right... there are some signs that that traffic is recovering at those ports but there is a long way to go."

Mark Drakeford: "We are facing the hard realities of what leaving the European Union means"

Traditionally, lorries from continental Europe with goods for Irish customers have taken a short ferry route into the south east of England, driven across the UK and taken another short ferry to Ireland.

Holyhead, Fishguard and Pembroke Dock have all benefited from this traffic.

But since 1 January, lorry drivers taking that route have to go through two sets of border checks in and out of the UK.

"Here we are facing the hard realities of what leaving the European Union means," Mr Drakeford told Senedd members.

"Trade that in November flowed without any friction at all and with no need for checks is now facing real friction and increasing checks, because remember we're only in the early stages of this - there are temporary arrangements in place that are making this easier than it will be after April and after July.

"There's an urgency about it which I don't detect an urgent response at the Whitehall level, nor do I detect a genuine engagement with the seriousness of the impact that the deal is having on Wales and on major ports."

Mr Drakeford said there was "no doubt" that traffic is now flowing up through Northern Ireland and then across to Liverpool and Scotland in order to avoid the "new challenges" that there are coming travelling between Wales and the Republic of Ireland.

Conservative MP and former Welsh secretary Stephen Crabb has said the UK government needs to "get a grip" on ensuring more streamlined procedures for hauliers.

What do UK ministers say?

A UK government spokesperson said: "So far at ports there has been minimal disruption and lorries are moving freely.

"We have seen a steady increase on both outbound and inbound roll-on roll-off freight between Great Britain and the EU since the start of January.

"To support traders and businesses that are currently facing challenges with specific aspects of our new trading relationship, we are operating export helplines, running webinars with experts and offering businesses support via our network of 300 international trade advisers."

"We are working closely with the Welsh Government and our ports to ensure that they will be ready for full border checks starting in July, including through the £200m Port Infrastructure Fund."