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Please note!
This fact brief was originally published as an experiment to test the concepts behind fact briefs.
Readers should be aware that while there is still a lot of useful information in fact briefs like this one, not all of them reflect Gigafact's current methods and standards for fact briefs. If you come across any that you feel are out of date, don't hesitate to contact us at support@gigafact.org.
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FACT BRIEF

Has Brexit caused traffic issues in England?

By Jacob Alabab-Moser
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YES

New border checks resulting from Brexit are contributing to longer delays for trucks transiting through the port of Dover. Traffic restrictions to prevent buildup on the road leading to the port have been imposed 18 times in 2022 as of February—a notable increase compared to the same time of year in previous years.

Under the U.K. government’s new Goods Vehicle Movement Service system, customs now requires the completion of paperwork before the export of goods to Europe, as well as document checks, which have been taking up to 15 minutes per vehicle.

Port authorities maintain the increased custom checks are "not the sole reason for queues," citing increased freight volumes, port construction and a reduced number of ferries in operation due to ship refitting. They warn that traffic could worsen in September when biometric checks are due to be implemented at the port.

This fact brief is responsive to conversations such as this one.
Sources
Sky News Record use of Dover emergency traffic measures as new Brexit border checks bite
BBC What's been causing lorry queues at Dover?
Guardian Dover blames queues on spike in freight traffic not Brexit
ABOUT THE CONTRIBUTOR
Gigafact
Between 2020 and 2022, under close editorial supervision, Gigafact contracted a group of freelance writers and editors to test the concepts for fact briefs and provide inputs to our software development process. We call this effort Gigafact Foundry. Over the course of these two years, Gigafact Foundry writers published over 1500 fact briefs in response to claims they found online. Their important work forms the basis of Gigafact formats and editorial guidelines, and is available to the public on Gigafact.org. Readers should be aware that while there is still a lot of relevant information to be found, not all fact briefs produced by Gigafact Foundry reflect Gigafact's current methods and standards for fact briefs. If you come across any that you feel are out of date and need to be looked at with fresh eyes, don't hesitate to contact us at support@gigafact.org.
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About fact briefs published on Gigafact
Fact briefs are short, credibly sourced summaries that offer “yes/no” answers in response to claims found online. They rely on publicly available, often primary source data and documents. Fact briefs are created by contributors to Gigafact —a nonprofit project looking to expand participation in fact-checking and protect the democratic process. See all fact briefs here.