Poole Port could see a significant increase in freight sailings next year, as part of a Government plan to ease pressure on Dover in the event of a no-deal Brexit.

Government transport chiefs have signed a £46.6 million deal with Brittany Ferries, that could see a 50 per cent increase in the company's freight capacity in and out of Poole Harbour, Portsmouth, and Plymouth.

The Department for Transport (DfT) has spent more than £100 million on ferries to ease potential problems in the event of a no-deal Brexit.

Documents outlining the £107.7 million agreements say increased border checks in UK ports after Brexit could "cause delivery of critical goods to be delayed" in the event of a no deal outcome.

Aside from the Brittany Ferries deal, DfT has signed contracts with Danish company DFDS and the UK's Seabourne to ease pressure on Dover.

Nineteen weekly return sailings will be added to three Brittany Ferries' routes – Cherbourg to Poole, Le Havre to Portsmouth and Roscoff to Plymouth.

These routes, which will come into effect from March 29, 2019 – the day the UK is currently scheduled to officially leave the European Union – will allow more space for lorries.

Brittany Ferries CEO Christophe Mathieu said: "Our priority is to prepare for a no-deal Brexit and to create additional capacity.

"By increasing the number of rotations we will be able to meet the Department for Transport's Brexit requirement.

"We will also work hard to minimise impact on existing Brittany Ferries freight customers and passengers, although there may be some changes to some sailing times, for which we apologise in advance."

Nationally, the move has been described as "complete madness" by the Liberal Democrats, who said it showed public money was being spent recklessly in a last-minute bid to prepare for a no-deal outcome.

However, a DfT spokesman said: "This significant extra capacity is a small but important element of the Department for Transport's no-deal Brexit planning.

"While remaining committed to working to ensure a deal is reached successfully, the department is helping ensure the rest of Government are fully prepared for a range of scenarios, including a p[articular focus on a potential no-deal and to mitigate the impact of any Brexit outcome on all transport modes."

Brittany Ferries operates a dozen ships and 11 routes, linking the UK with France, the UK with Spain, France with Ireland and Ireland with Spain. It carries around 2.5 million passengers every year, 85 percent of whom are British, as well as around 210,000 freight units.