RHA: don’t wait for driver deaths to prompt Calais action

Road Haulage Association (RHA) chief executive Richard Burnett has again spoken out about what the association calls an “untenable situation” for HGV drivers as a result of increased migrant activity at the Port of Calais.

Burnett (pictured), who has recently returned from a three-day trip to the port, said he was “absolutely appalled” by what he had witnessed.

“For the HGV drivers who want nothing more than to be able to complete their work efficiently and safely, the situation has become a living nightmare,” he said.

“I have a spoken to drivers who have been threatened with knives and baseball bats and to others who have been gassed in their cabs or been physically attacked. Drivers have had bars thrown through their windscreens and rocks thrown at their trucks from bridges on the approach roads.

“The UK government and French authorities cannot get stand back and wait until a driver is killed before strong, effective, action is taken.”

Migrants had become “more aggressive” and “totally fearless,” he claimed, adding that the population at the camps had doubled since August.

“The desperation of these people has now reached the point whereby they will stop at nothing to cross the Channel by truck with no thought for anyone – certainly not the HGV drivers who are their target.”

The RHA has called for the UK government to pressure the French authorities into increasing security in the short-term, arguing that the 100 additional police deployed last month was “not enough”.

Burnett continued: “I am particularly concerned about the changes in the migrant camp itself. The ground is being cleared and footings are being laid to create more permanent structures. How can this be allowed to happen? It demonstrates that the migrants are determined to stand firm and remain there until their ultimate objective of reaching the UK is realised.”

Earlier this week, RHA also renewed its calls for French military deployment at Calais.

Burnett said: “Despite the fact that there are now approximately 1,300 security operatives being deployed at Calais (CRS riot police and French gendarmerie), we are deeply concerned that this is still not enough to handle the ever increasing number of migrants who are, quite literally, honing in on the Port to attempt the crossing from mainland Europe to the UK on the back of a truck.

“This is the busiest time of the year for hauliers with 90 per cent of the volume of freight moved by road to the UK coming via this vital and most economically viable trade route. Security at Eurotunnel has been stepped up and at the moment this seems to be proving effective.

“The downside is that it has simply moved migrant focus to the vulnerable areas of the Port itself. In addition, migrant activity on the Port approach roads remains a massive issue and many hauliers will no longer stop within 150 miles of Calais unless absolutely necessary. This must also be addressed.”

He said that, while security forces at the port were “doing their best,” numbers must be increased and operations needed to become proactive rather than reactive.

“Now is the time for the Association’s calls for deployment of the French military to contain the situation be heeded and urgently acted upon,” he argued.

“Increased security will not make the problem disappear overnight, but it will certainly act as a deterrent and will surely help to prevent my worst fear from becoming a reality; that an HGV driver wishing for no more to complete his journey in safety is killed.”

Burnett’s plea came as, on the British side of the Channel, the Freight Transport Association (FTA) praised new plans for a lorry park in Kent, intended to ease the disruption caused by Operation Stack.

Highways England has identified two sites which could be deployed in emergencies, close to Junction 11 of the M20 at Stanford, which could: “provide much-needed facilities for truck drivers and end road chaos for residents and businesses,” FTA said. Capacity for 3,600 trucks would be provided under the proposals.

Natalie Chapman, head of policy for London and the South East at FTA, said: “Kent desperately needs overnight facilities for lorry drivers to reduce the problem of trucks parking in villages and residential areas.

“We would urge Highways England to act quickly and consider providing a day-to-day facility for drivers that can also be used in emergencies instead of the Dover TAP [the system which aims to prevent lorries from queuing through the town when the port is at full capacity] and Operation Stack.

“Being stuck on the motorway in a slow-moving queue plays havoc with drivers’ hours and rest breaks so a dedicated waiting area is vital, but it’s also important that the lorries can be moved in and out of the lorry park to access the port and Eurotunnel when spaces are available so that ferries and trains are filled to capacity.”

The chancellor George Osborne recently announced a £250 million funding package to help solve the issues surrounding Operation Stack, as part of his autumn statement.