Ahead of today’s House of Commons vote on the Customs Union, the Freight Transport Association (FTA) warned MPs that a new version created in Brexit discussions would not remove the need for checks at the borders.

Deputy chief executive James Hookham said: “Leaving the EU Customs Union and single market has big consequences for supply chains and the continuity of the UK’s European trade. If the Government remains fixed on this course, then it must prioritise sorting out the potential ‘showstoppers’ that will kick in on Day One of Brexit.”

More than 10,000 HGVs use the Port of Dover and Eurotunnel daily, and even the slightest delays can cause huge pressure on the local road networks both sides of the Channel.

According to the FTA, leaving the Customs Union will lengthen transit times and add red tape to the process of commerce travelling across the Channel. This combined could have a huge impact on trade because of border controls and regulatory barriers. To add to this, even a couple of minutes’ wait per truck could cause tailbacks in the order of miles up the road back into Kent.