Covid Level Moves Create Supply Chain Issues

As Auckland heads into a new Level 3 in response to community transfer of Covid-19, a lot of questions remain unanswered for the business community, Road Transport Forum (RTF) chief executive Nick Leggett says. "People are flooding to supermarkets which will put pressure on the supply chain, that is, the trucks that get the products to the supermarkets and other shops where people are heading for essential supplies," Leggett says. "But we are unclear how trucks are going to flow in and out of Auckland with stops at the entry/exit borders to the city. "Long delays in traffic present a number of issues for the supply chain. These include potential damage to perishable goods, health and safety considerations for drivers who are restricted by the hours they can work, and missing deadlines to ports and airports for exports and imports. "All these things will have impacts to a wide range of businesses already struggling economically from the effects of Covid-19. What happens in Auckland impacts the whole country. "BusinessNZ head Kirk Hope is calling on the Government for more information for business and I back that call. "We could forgive hiccups the first time around, but allegedly the Government has a plan. We need to see that plan before there is mayhem at the shops."

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