Channel crossings from Ramsgate will reopen in time for No Deal Brexit, claims Transport Secretary
The Kent port halted its service to Ostend, Belgium, five years ago but ministers aim to use it to ease customs chaos at Dover and Calais if no agreement is reached by March 29
CHANNEL ferry crossings from Ramsgate will be reopened in time for a no deal Brexit, Chris Grayling has insisted.
The Kent port stopped its service to Ostend five years ago.
But the government have launched a bold plan to restart it in a bid to ease customs chaos at the Dover-Calais bottleneck if there is no Brexit deal in time for the March 29 exit.
Despite deep cynicism that the plan is deliverable in time, the Transport Secretary told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme: “We believe they are on course to run services from April, yes”.
Mr Grayling also defended a controversial Department for Transport decision to award a £13m contract for the Ramsgate service to an unknown start up that doesn’t own any ferries.
He insisted: “Government is supporting new businesses and there is nothing wrong with that.
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“We have looked very carefully at this business and have put in place a tight contract that makes sure they can deliver for us.”
Meanwhile, Brexit Secretary Steve Barclay will today summon ministers from every Government department for a major stocktake on no deal preparations.
He will use the midday meeting to ensure all ministries know what is expected of them in the project, codenamed Operation Yellowhammer, with just 85 days to go until Brexit.
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