With the travel restrictions currently in place for freight travelling to the EU not looking to change anytime soon, Poole Harbour Commissioners, the managers of the Port of Poole are reminding Hauliers to make sure they are ‘border ready’ or risk not being able to travel.

Steve Moors, Port Manager said “All Hauliers wishing to travel from Poole will need to have a confirmed booking and comply with the Customs requirements before they arrive at the Port. Failure to complete these Customs formalities can result in the haulier being refused permission to travel and turned away from the Port”.

In the run-up to EU Exit, the Port of Poole worked closely with the Local Resilience Forum, Highways England, and other agencies to produce the response plan ‘Operation Topsail’. The purpose of the plan is to ensure that in the event of excess traffic movements through the Port the traffic is managed to cause minimum disruption to the local road networks.

Like many other ports around the country, strict enforcements are in place in Poole to help contain the spread of COVID-19. Drivers and crew of LGVs and vans heading to any port in France now not only need to ensure they have the right paperwork for their load, but they must also display proof of an authorised negative COVID test, conducted within 72 hours prior to travel.

Dave Laut, Safety and Security Manager at the Port went on to say “We have worked with the Dorset Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) and are approved to carry out testing for hauliers booked on outgoing ferries at the Port of Poole, but there are also many other free, official government Covid testing sites at service stations around the country for hauliers to use.

RESOURCES FOR HAULIERS

You can find your nearest Covid testing site here. https://www.gov.uk/guidance/haulier-advice-site-locations

Guidance to carry out international road haulage can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/carry-out-international-road-haulage

For further information please contact Poole Harbour Commissioners on 01202 440200 or visit www.phc.co.uk