Eurotunnel ‘is Brexit-ready’

Image © Eurotunnel

Eurotunnel’s Le Shuttle Freight operation, which claims to handle 26 per cent of UK – EU trade, now has its Brexit preparations in place.

Pre-declaration will operate in the customs systems on each side of the Channel before trucks arrive at the terminals in Folkestone and Coquelles. The 5,000 trucks which pass through the Tunnel every day will be serviced by the following arrangements.

There are two new ‘pit stops’, one in Folkestone and one in Coquelles, which regroup all the checks and controls already conducted by Eurotunnel before boarding. These are also equipped to handle the scanning of customs documents.

The pit stops and their specially trained operators will check 20 trucks at a time in just a few short minutes. Trucks which are declared ‘Green Route’ by customs officials will then go on to cross exactly as they do today.

Trucks that the authorities want to check in more detail will be declared Orange Route. To service these, a new customs and sanitary/phytosanitary control zone has been built on the Coquelles terminal. Nine inspection bays and 100 parking places are available for the French authorities to check goods coming from the UK, without disrupting through traffic.

A new 240-space secure parking zone for trucks heading for the UK will be opened.

Eurotunnel Customs Support will help drivers get their paperwork in order for the controls, if needed.