A Cumbrian haulier has joined calls for greater clarity for logistics companies travelling to Europe post-Brexit.

Neil Robinson, managing director of Tyson H Burridge, in Distington, near Workington, said "nobody knows" exactly what situation will face the sector whether or not Britain leaves with a deal.

The company's vehicles make weekly trips to the continent and Neil, who is also chair of the Cumbria Transport Group, said there was a chance they may have to temporarily cancel journeys to the EU in the New Year.

One of the main issues facing the sector is the potential need for hauliers to acquire a European Council of Ministers Transport permit to continue operating in the bloc.

Before the initial Brexit deadline of March 29 1,991 HGV operators in the UK applied for over 11,000 permits.

However, only 1000 were issued.

Tyson H Burridge applied for five but were given none of them.

Neil said since then a moratorium had been granted by the EU, allowing UK hauliers to operate in Europe without an ECMT until the end of 2019.

This was regardless of whether or not Britain left with or without a deal at the end of October.

Neil said the sector needed clarity on the situation before the end of the year.

Also, if an ECMT was required then enough permits needed to be made available to fulfil the needs of the nation's hauliers.

"At the moment it's all up in the air," he said.

"Nobody knows to be honest. It will probably depend on whether we get a deal or no deal and it's looking more and more like we will get a no deal. We can't get any clarity on it.

"We are kind of at a loss until we find out, first of all, who gets elected (as Prime Minister) and then what happens from there."

His comments come after the Road Haulage Association issued a statement calling on the government to undertake six urgent actions to prepare for a no-deal Brexit.

These included producing detailed guidance on how the whole end-to-end journey for hauliers will operate and providing emergency and free online-based customs training.

It also follows revelations that Transport Minister Chris Grayling threatened to stop involving the organisation in the Brexit process after they communicated with the press following a private briefing with him last August.

In a BBC Panorama documentary Richard Burnett, chief executive of the Road Haulage Association, said Mr Grayling left him a voicemail after the association issued a press release about the meeting.

In the voicemail message, Mr Grayling said: “I’ve got to say how very disappointed I am.

“I had intended to involve you closely in the planning over the next few months, but issuing a press release straight after meeting like that makes it much more difficult for me to do that.”

Mr Burnett said he felt Mr Grayling was “trying to silence an industry that’s trying to help Government guide them”.

He added: “My sense of that message was – either shut up or you don’t engage."

The Road Haulage Association has acknowledged that discussions with the Government have continued after the voicemail message was sent.