AS TRAVEL operators gear up for another summer of price battles on the Channel, Dover-based ferry operator Hoverspeed is backing a plan to improve trade closer to home.

Hoverspeed managing director Geoffrey Ede is calling for Dover to be made into a special low-duty trading zone that would boost British revenues and create jobs in the area.

Mr Ede said: "Every year millions of Britons are attracted to France in search of a bargain.

"Brits spend huge amounts of money on a vast range of items like beer, wines, spirits, tobacco, gardening and DIY products and it’s the French government which benefits.

"Our Government is forever bleating about the lost tax revenues it suffers when people bring these bargains back into the country.

"I urge the Government to be brave and tackle this issue head on by establishing a special trading zone around the port area in Dover.

"This will allow British shoppers to buy those goods here at low rates of duty equal to what is being levied across the English Channel.

"This is a win-win idea; the public would still pick up a bargain, the British exchequer rakes in the extra Vat receipts and a huge number of new jobs would be created in the zone to service this new trade."

The proposal comes after Euro MPs voted to scrap guidelines restricting cross-border shopping.

They are unhappy that the guidelines, which set personal use limits on the amounts of alcohol and tobacco which people can take from one EU state into another, infringe the rights of citizens to take full advantage of unrestricted trade between member states.

The Port of Dover celebrates the 400th anniversary of the granting of its Royal Charter in 2006 and Mr Ede believes it is the perfect opportunity for the Government to take the bold step of creating a special trading zone in the historic Cinque Port town.

HE SAID: "Of course Hoverspeed exists to transport people across the Channel and we are not advocating putting ourselves out of business.

"So we would want to insist on a requirement that people would still have to travel to qualify for their bargains bought on home soil."

He added: "I’m sure this whole system can be arranged in such a way that we would all end up as winners. What is required now is the political will, ambition and determination.

"I urge Dover’s MP Gwyn Prosser and the town’s business community to back this idea and I challenge the British government to adopt this initiative."