A ‘Kent Access Permit’ could be brought in for lorry drivers - here’s what it means

In Kent, police will patrol the border to turn away lorries without a so-called ‘Kent Access Permit’ in an effort to ease Brexit border issues, it has been revealed.

Those without a permit would be blocked from entering Kent in a new ‘internal border.’

What did Michael Gove say?

A de facto Brexit border is to be implemented for lorry drivers entering Kent to travel into the EU from 1 January 2021, Michael Gove has confirmed.

Minister for the Cabinet Office, Gove, said that officers will employ the use of automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) cameras as well as “other means” to block drivers without a permit.

He told MPs that the move would try to ensure that “constituents are not inconvenienced”, after warning of queues containing up to 7,000 lorries and two day delays to cross the Channel.

Gove laid out a new “worst case scenario” which states that 70 per cent of trucks might not be ready for new checks to cross the Channel. However, under questioning, Gove refused, twice, to say how many of his 50,000 “customs agents” have been recruited.

Former Deputy Prime Minister and Kent MP Damian Green said that the potential of extremely long queues of traffic would “send a chill” through the local people of Kent.

Gove replied, “We want to make sure that people use a relatively simple process in order to get what will become known as a Kent Access Permit, which means that they can then proceed smoothly, because they do have the material required.

“If they don't have the material required, then it will be the case that through policing, ANPR cameras and other means, we'll do our very best to ensure that his constituents are not inconvenienced.”

What is the Kent Access Permit?

The legislation would require any haulier using the designated roads in Kent leading to the Port of Dover and Eurotunnel to be in possession of a ‘Kent Access Permit’, also known as KAP.