Trade groups report continued Calais chaos
Transport trade associations have continued to report difficult conditions for HGV drivers at Calais, as estimated migrant numbers have swelled to 6,000.
The situation, which has been compounded by recent delays at the Eurotunnel terminal, has reportedly lead to threats on drivers by organised migrant gangs, throwing stones and attempting to board vehicles.
The Freight Transport Association (FTA) cited testimony from lorry driver Euan Flemming, a driver for Belfast-based Blair Transport and a user of the Dover-Calais route for 10 years.
He said last month that police and security guards were nowhere to be seen as port traffic slowed to a crawl, and that migrants were surrounding trucks and leaping from bridges onto curtainsider roofs as they passed through. He had also witnessed an invasion by migrants of the secure lorry compound at Calais.
“It made big news in the summer because holidaymakers were affected but the situation is worse than ever,” said Flemming. “I’m sitting here in a curtain-sided truck and there are thousands of migrants all around – I might as well roll out the red carpet.
“The situation improved in August and September but this week it has gone downhill. The migrants have mobilised themselves – it is shockingly bad right now.”
On 22 October, Donald Armour, international affairs manager at FTA, said: “FTA is dismayed to learn that for the fourth night in a row migrants have successfully managed to break through the security fencing at the Eurotunnel compound and past the other measures put in place since the summer. You have to ask ‘who is advising Eurotunnel what to do?’
“FTA believes more robust measures need to be taken by the French authorities to keep drivers safe and to ensure that Eurotunnel can function properly, without the dangers and serious disruption our members have had to endure this week.”
He welcomed news that 500 additional French police were to be deployed to strengthen Tunnel defences, but added that: “clearly this isn’t sufficient to cope with the relentless nightly attacks. We are very concerned that drivers are still being put at risk as they travel through Pas de Calais back to the ports.”
Meanwhile, the Road Haulage Association (RHA) highlighted a case in which migrants entering a truck encountered a polar bear, en route to Yorkshire Wildlife Park in Doncaster – adding that strikes by freight security officials at Calais had caused further disruption for HGV drivers.
“I visited Calais on several occasions during the summer,” said RHA chief executive Richard Burnett. “Each time the desperation of these people to reach the UK and a better life had to be seen to be believed. But, as we predicted at the time, haulier safety is still being seriously compromised.
“Nothing has changed. We have seen the Channel Tunnel’s perimeter fences being stormed by numbers of migrants; on one occasion the number exceeded 200 in an overwhelming assault that left two French police officers and one security guard hospitalised.
“The attacks on drivers that are being reported to us are no longer spontaneous incidents. They are pre-mediated, well-planned and coordinated. The news of migrants coming face to face with a polar bear will at least help put the issue back on the news agenda.
“We will keep pushing this issue and remain adamant that action to detect migrant activity is being misdirected. We already have first-hand evidence of migrants walking along the Port approach roads inside the Armco barrier alongside the new £12m security fence.
“We agree with the view that this renewed onslaught is as a direct result of the deteriorating conditions in the camps and with winter approaching, we are concerned is that this increase in desperation may well result in an increase in violent attacks on drivers.
“Increased security on the Port approach roads to provide safe passage for UK-bound haulers is now the only, workable solution to this critical situation. We need increased security to be put in place now before a UK-bound haulier loses their life. The safety of drivers travelling through the Calais area must be guaranteed.”
Later in October, RHA also reported that the Mayor of Calais had joined calls for the French to deploy the armed forces at the port, which is now said to have the largest police presence in France outside the capital.
“Last night an RHA member had his vehicle’s air lines cut by a frustrated migrant who was discovered to be “axle riding”,” said Burnett.
Rob Flello, MP for Stoke South and chairman of the all-party parliamentary group on freight transport, added: “The government promised months ago to sort out this situation and instead the threat to professional drivers, their lorries and of course the refugees themselves is in danger of becoming permanent. We cannot carry on as if this crisis will simply go away of its own accord – clearly, it won’t.”
