Half-hour UK customs delays could 'bankrupt one in 10 firms'

© Sue Martin

Ten percent of UK firms could go bankrupt if delays at ports are consistently up to 30 minutes, according to the Chartered Institute of Procurement and Supply (CIPS) . In the event of a ‘no deal’ Brexit, massive queues are likely at ports as companies face a mountain of paperwork and checks. A CIPS survey of 1,300 supply chain managers found that one in ten could risk bankruptcy after delays to their goods, while costs to the economy could reach £1bn a year. And university researchers have concluded that an extra two minutes of checks at Dover could lead to 29-mile traffic queues in Kent. The CIPS is calling for a two-year transition period “to get something sorted out”.