Council chief demands police from across Britain are sent to Kent to control traffic tailbacks in no-deal Brexit

‘Boots on the ground’ vital to help with traffic chaos if Britain leaves EU with no deal says Kent council boss

Police officers from all over the country should be drafted in to help handle traffic in Kent in the event of a no-deal Brexit, the chairman of the county council has said.

Paul Carter told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme he wants “boots on the ground”, and assurances that arrangements are in place for police officers and Highways England staff nationwide to be ready to “man the pumps”.

“I want assurance from Highways England and Kent Police that they have got the reciprocal arrangements with other police forces and Highways England officers around the country to make sure that they come into Kent in sufficiency to be able to man the pumps.”

Large numbers will be required to maintain fluidity and ”to keep the road network in Kent open at all times and direct them to where lorries – if there are delays at the port - will be held until such time as they can depart from those ports,” he said.

Mr Carter, who leads the Conservative-controlled council, said “accelerated progress” has been made since the Yellowhammer report – released on Wednesday night – was drafted on August 2.

“There are still two or three outstanding matters which I am beating the drum on which need resolving in short order.”

Asked if he was worried about a no-deal Brexit, he said: “As long as we get satisfactory answers and progress on how the operating model for customs clearance is going to work and communicate that to the logistics haulage industry, I am pretty confident that we can avoid disruption in Kent.”

PA