evidence: Using a simple calculation, taking the average freight weight of a lorry leaving/entering Scotland from outside the rest of the UK[26] (the maximum carrying weight for a UK HGV is currently 44 tonnes, so it is assumed that average weight taken is 30 tonnes) this suggests an average of 6,766 lorries a year from Scotland cross the Channel to Europe and 4,266 come back in the opposite direction. The data available for the Channel ports suggests that between the port of Dover and Eurotunnel there are around 2.6 million HGV crossings a year[27]. If this estimate is accurate then the Channel Port crossings by Scottish lorries account for less than 0.5% of total crossings. However, although this suggests the total freight travelling to / from Dover is small, this is a key gateway for Scottish traders and mainland Europe. [...] Cross-border passenger journeys originating out with Scotland have been increasing since 1994-95, with 4.2 million journeys of this type being made in 2015-16.