Dover prepares for the hard Brexit

the Braces make the abrupt turns in the wind over the white cliffs of Dover. Under them runs a three-storey building in grey brick, with vitspacklade windows and black doors, along the narrow streets down towards the port.

On the quayside, will Sally Fox wandering with his family.

you become a little worried. No one knows for sure what will happen. Becomes Brexit, like the millennium bug – almost no effect – or should we begin to hoard goods?

" Sometimes I think that fear itself is the biggest problem. If people begin to panikhandla it can be really dangerous, " says Sally Fox.

Her 80-year-old father, Jeremy Fox, nods and says:

– It can probably be a little scary, but I think we can handle it. The sad thing is that so many voted to leave the EU just because they wanted to stop immigration. We have managed well in Europe, and is one of the ”top dogs”! It is so unnecessary to all of it.

Jon Lunnerfeldt and Sally Fox flanking the sally's father, Jeremy Fox. Photo: Mark Earthy

– only ten days left now to the 12th of april, when the united kingdom, according to the timetable should leave the EU. Currently, most things suggest that there will be a Brexit without a contract, and in that case Dover is one of those places where the effects will be felt first.

Every day passing around 10,000 trucks here, with ferries to or from the continent. Another few thousand trucks cross the channel through the tunnel that goes to Calais on the French side.

2017 passed the 17 per cent of all the Uk's trade in goods this port city – which makes it strategic for the whole country.

If the world trade organisation, WTO rules would be in the 12 april, however, is a great risk of long queues in Dover, when customs declarations and other controls are becoming more time-consuming.

as Dover belongs, the authorities have already activated the ”Operation Hernia” (a part of the larger nationwide ”Operation Yellowhammer”, see box).

for several miles on the M20 motorway has one lane's files are now reserved for trucks, while at the same time established a stålbarriär in the middle of the other lane in order to be able to lead the other traffic in both directions, in two files each.

In this way made space for 2,000 queuing of trucks on the highway. No queue there so far – the controls have not been instituted – but among the truck drivers, the concern is great.

– Here in Dover, most things go smoothly. It is really only when there is a storm on the English channel as the queues tend to occur. But now the wind blows apparently up to a big storm, one that can last significantly longer than the ones we had in the past, says the Polish trucker Mateusz Plewa.

Mateusz Plewa, 38, lives in Lublin in Poland and run every month his truck forward and back to England. Photo: Mark Earthy

on lastbilsparkeringen where we meet him, is the menus written in eleven different languages. The drivers around us are from Romania, Poland and other european countries.

But the ”storm” that Mateusz is talking about – that is to say, Brexit – could make life difficult for these workers.

– I usually ship tractor parts to the Uk. But if the new duties will affect trade, then I might lose the job, " says Mateusz Plewa.

Menus in many languages in the cafeteria at the lastbilsparkeringen. Photo: Mark Earthy

the British industries are often dependent on components manufactured in other EU countries. While importing the Uk around 30% of its food from the EU. The consequences of congested ports can in other words be serious for this island nation.

the problems with a temporary tullregim, during the 12 months shall abolish the customs duties on the vast majority of all imports from the EU. But the question mark is around whether this is compatible with WTO rules.

Mateusz Plewas expect anyway huge mess the first time after Brexit.

– It will surely be very great delays and long waiting time. When it calmed down a bit, maybe it will be like when we are driving to Ukraine or Switzerland – that is to say, more pappersgöra, and more waiting before you get run on.

it takes two minutes longer for each truck to pass through customs, the queues will soon be a mile long, according to british estimates. In addition to the suspended highways, the disused airport of Manston, a few miles north of Dover, started to be refurbished to serve as a parking lot. It will soon have space for 6,000 vehicles.

the Problem is that the redirection of the traffic there can uncork the small roads in the area. Authorities warn that the population on the peninsula of the Isle of Thanet, in practice, can be cut off from the rest of the country.

It is not without a degree of irony can be discerned in it.

of the voters on the Isle of Thanet voted to leave the EU. The peninsula's coastal towns and cities have long been strongholds of the nationalist party Ukip, whose former leader Nigel Farage, who comes from the area.

But now the inhabitants of cities such as Ramsgate get cold feet. When DN ask around on the promenade of this seaside town, we do not find a single person who wants to stand for that he wants to have a ”hard” Brexit.

However, we meet many people who have changed.

" If there were a referendum today I would vote to stay. We were ripped off, they gave us the wrong information, " says the 51-year-old Andy Munday, who voted to leave the EU in a referendum in 2016.

Andy Munday, 51, Ramsgate. Photo: Mark Earthy

and, says he, three years ago, most probably wanted to stop the immigration.

" But they continue to come anyway, we have understood now. Atleast those who come here in boats or hidden in lorries. Instead, we get economic problems, with increased prices and stuff after Brexit. And fewer tourists, " says Andy Munday concerned.

Like many other britons, he has now begun to consider to hoard goods.

" I have a small backyard. Where I am thinking, so some of the vegetables – and perhaps even a few fruit trees. You never know when they might come in handy, " says Andy Munday before we separated.

Read more: ”Brexit Preppers” bunkers up in british homes in the face of Brexit