CASH BOOST FOR LOCAL PORTS AS THEY PREPARE FOR TIGHTER BORDER CONTROLS

Those were the days - Grimsby's Royal Dock in yesteryear

THE ports at Grimsby and Immingham are set to benefit from Whitehall funding to strengthen  post-Brexit border controls.

They will enjoy a chunky slice of the £705-million for UK ports pledged at the weekend by the Government, 

The monies will be invested in  infrastructure, systems and staffing.

The announcement has been welcomed by the British Ports Association, which represents a wide variety of UK port operators, including all the major ferry terminals that facilitate tens of thousands of HGVs between Britain and the EU every day,

It had been seeking funding commitments for many months.

Says the BPA's chief executive, Richard Ballantyne: "These are helpful measures designed to ease the new borders requirements which come into force next year. 

"We are particularly grateful that the Government has listened and agreed to our requests to pay for new infrastructure both at ports and at inland sites. 

"We look forward to reviewing the detail but this is an important first step to help limit the impacts of Britain’s departure from the EU."