The key information system designed to prevent border chaos when Britain finally splits from the European Union at the end of the year in what is now known as Brexit will not be fully tested and ready for use, according to Britain's largest commercial logistics group.
Government officials told Logistics UK that the Smart Freight System – which is designed to avoid congestion at key ports such as Dover – will go into beta testing in mid-December and will not be completed until April.
The government says the system will be operational in December. But the prospect of businesses being forced to use a new IT system to process billions of pounds in exports before it has been fully tested has prompted industry to warn of potential chaos. The system is the centrepiece of a government strategy to avoid congestion and delays for businesses facing customs checks after Britain leaves the EU's single market and customs union on December 31.
“To discover, with just 14 more weeks to go, that there will be no ready-made, workable solution for those moving goods into the EU is a huge blow to UK businesses and the economy,” said Elizabeth de Jong, policy director at Logistics UK.
“The Smart Freight online service will go live in January 2021 to minimise any potential issues and we are working with businesses and the transport sector to ensure it is effective and simple to use,” a Cabinet Office spokesman said in London. The beta designation is a standard labelling practice for a digital service that is fully operational, he added.
The government website states that “the beta appears on a new service to indicate that it is being tested – and may not work for everyone.”
The revelation that such a key IT system may not be fully tested within the required timeframe increases pressure on the government over its handling of Brexit. In recent days, Prime Minister Boris Johnson has come under fire for threatening to break international law by tearing up part of the Brexit Withdrawal Agreement he signed last year.
The Smart Freight System is a web portal designed to ensure that goods transport vehicles have the proper documentation when traveling within the EU and reduce the risk of failing customs checks.
With Britain outside the EU customs union, goods entering the rest of Europe from the UK will require customs clearance.
Under the plan, the government is building facilities to hold vehicles that do not have the correct documents. Lorry drivers will also face fines of up to $386 if they attempt to enter Kent – the main gateway to the Port of Dover, which handles up to 10,000 lorries a day – without a permit from the SFS.
