£48m border control post may be obsolete as 'yet another Brexit bonus' slammed

North Wales Live

6 hours ago

North Wales Live readers are unhappy to hear that a facility designed to handle the additional red tape resulting from Brexit could become obsolete before it even opens its doors. The UK's departure from the EU in 2020 introduced extra bureaucracy at the border between the UK and the European Union, including sanitary and phytosanitary checks on fresh produce from the EU.
The previous UK Government postponed implementing these checks due to fears of price increases for businesses and consumers. However, they did not abandon these checks and continued to develop the necessary building.
In North Wales, the UK Government allocated £47.8m for the construction of a border control post at Holyhead, which would be managed by the Welsh Government. Kier Group was awarded a £41m construction contract last summer, and work began on the development at Parc Cybi, just outside Holyhead, with completion expected by autumn.
However, the site could potentially become an expensive folly before it even becomes operational. In May, the UK and EU reached a new SPS agreement aimed at reducing trade barriers for food, plants, and animal products, thereby making trade between the UK and EU more affordable and straightforward.
The Welsh Government has stated: "We are considering the implications of a potential SPS agreement with the EU on the future implementation of the Border Target Operating Model in Wales. The Deputy First Minister will make a statement to the Senedd in the coming weeks."
On Tuesday, they confirmed they will not push on with final commissioning and staffing of the site. Huw Irranca-Davies MS, Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Climate Change and Rural Affairs, said he would keep that decision under review until the final details of the agreement with the EU are known.
Plaid Cymru leader Rhun ap Iorwerth, MS for Ynys Mon, commented on the situation saying: "The chaotic situation regarding the need – or not – for border control posts is symptomatic of the chaos and costs surrounding Brexit as a whole. Large sums of public money have been spent, Anglesey Council has faced significant pressures, and we even lost the very important truck stop that went to make way for post-Brexit border infrastructure. We need assurances now that the taxpayer won't be left further out of pocket, but the sad thing is that much of the damage caused will remain with us for many years to come."
Commenter Driver123456 says: 'Why did they have to take the truck stop? It was an absolute joke, but they insisted they wanted that site instead of the clear land across the way. They could have built on that, but paid way over the odds for the land!'
ThePickledLiver replies: 'There will still be 100 HGV parking spaces, and while the inspection shed might not be useful, there's the admin block which would make an excellent drivers' R&R.
"Small layout changes and it'll be perfectly usable/re-useable as something other than a border post. Not quite 'white elephant' stuff. We could perhaps copy what they do (and I've used) on the continent and provide 1 and 2-bed rooms for drivers. 10/15 euro a night, nothing fancy but better than bunking in the cab. Must pay for itself 'cos there's plenty of them. And that's before factoring-in the times that the ferries are delayed by weather. That would cover at least, erm, 2 million, ish.'
Captcheese thinks: 'Quite eye watering at 47 million for a shower block and bogs for HGV drivers.'
LlainPeris thinks: 'We are all paying for the Brexit Mess - 'taking back control' was always very misleading at best: what needs controlling is the way multi-national companies pay so little tax, and for that you need multi-national action by governments not Little Britain acting on its own.'
Northwalessaint agrees: 'Yet another 'Brexit Bonus'!'
Marti1 adds: 'It seems leaving the EU cost more than staying.'
PaulLuckock writes: 'The Welsh electorate voted for Brexit and so we collectively have to take responsibility for the settled will of the people in 2016.'
Steamnut points out: 'And that wonderful Holyhead truck-stop would still be open. Amazing how we keep doing this at all levels both national and local. And yes, Conwy we are talking about you. We need more accountability; people who sign-off on expensive schemes ought to pay the price for their mistakes.'
Jnrm replies: 'Well the Welsh people voted for, and therefore 'signed off' on Brexit, a really expensive scheme, so I guess they should be footing the bill then. It was the UK Government that paid £47.8 million to fund this facility, not the Welsh Government. Plaid states there was a large sum of public money spent which has been wasted and that taxpayers shouldn't be left out of pocket. Well it's the English taxpayer who should be complaining as they funded it!'