Ports
The competitive nature of the UK's ports has seen great benefits for the UK economy. Services have become more customer focused and efficiencies have been gained.
However, the UK's major ports are increasingly congested. The delays, costs and rejections resulting from the planning process for new port facilities are leaving shippers reliant on existing facilities. Ports such as Felixstowe, Southampton and Liverpool are experiencing congestion. This can result in delays for ships but, just as importantly, in congestion for the onward transport links - to get the goods into or out of the port on the landside. As limits are reached, either goods will not come in or will have to reroute to less convenient ports - adding time and cost to both imports and exports, hurting the UK economy.
