Page 4 - issue-27

News
Prepare for brexit now, warns leading transport lawyer
Van operators should act now to minimise any effects from Brexit, according to James Backhouse, director at law firm Backhouse Jones.
While he admitted that no-one knew as yet what the effects of Britain leaving the EU would be, he urged delegates at a conference organised by the Institute of Road Transport Engineers (IRTE):
“Look at which contracts you have are Brexit-sensitive and identify suppliers and how they will be affected. The time to do this is now.
“Work out how your business as a whole might be affected and explore what might happen in the future. Try and mitigate it. Develop a plan now.
“Don’t assume the clever people in Whitehall know anything about your day job. No-one understands from a legal point of view how the transport industry functions and what it needs so the negotiators could easily give up things you need in a bid for economic security.
Initiate a dialogue
“It is crucial that operators initiate
a dialogue with our negotiators from the start. You can’t whinge afterwards when things are given up. If they don’t know you need it you can’t complain. We have access to trade associations and they need to hear from you. It’s not all doom and gloom but there is hard work ahead.”
Backhouse said it looked likely that prime minister Theresa May would trigger article 50 in the new year and then the UK would have two years in which to negotiate a deal. And he warned delegates: “This is the biggest economic change since the war. Don’t kid
Brexit means uncertain times ahead for van operators
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Work out how your business as a whole might be affected and explore what might happen in the future. Try and mitigate it. Develop a plan now
4 TVD Issue 27 2016
yourselves that it will not have an impact. Success or otherwise is yet to be decided but the effects will be profound. The economy has continued as was at present. It’s
a bit artificial because we aren’t leaving yet but don’t assume there won’t be a rocky road ahead.”
As to the effects on the transport system, Backhouse believes there will be little change ahead. The rules surrounding O-licences, tachographs, CPC and drivers’ hours are likely to remain, he said, and added: “Don’t expect them to disappear. It’s not going to happen.”
Backhouse also praised the prime minister for failing to reveal exactly what her Brexit plans were at present.
Two years left
He said: “We will have two years to negotiate a deal and there will be a lot of posturing ahead on
both sides. We need to be up and running and have a game plan before article 50 is triggered. She is not telling us what our negotiation stance will be and I agree with her. It would be foolhardy to make red lines as we would be giving our negotiating stance away.
“The aim is a smooth a transition as possible. We are fifth largest economy in the world and if we go into recession so will the rest if the world and no-one wants that.”
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BELOW: van operators should not assume that our negotiators understand our business