RHA urges PM to witness Calais crisis first hand

While acknowledging the measures to increase security at Eurotunnel, which are welcome, the RHA is adamant that a more comprehensive solution is needed to restore the free movement of lorries through the Calais area.  

Burnett said: "We need the same level of commitment to protecting truck drivers, their vehicles and loads as we are seeing towards protecting the valuable Channel Tunnel infrastructure at Coquelles. We are not seeing that and we are not hearing it from the Prime Minister.

"We recognise the scale and complexity of the migrant crisis and the humanitarian issue involved. However, that is a separate issue from the urgent need to allow trucks to move freely and without intimidation.

"The migrants are hell-bent on reaching the UK. If the Tunnel becomes harder to access, they will simply focus their attentions further back to the Tunnel approach roads. We need to hear a clear commitment to doing what is necessary to protect drivers.”

Mr Burnett continued: "Without witnessing the mayhem at Calais first hand, neither the Prime Minister, nor his advisers can fully grasp the severity of the situation. I have therefore issued an invitation to David Cameron to travel with him across the Channel to see for himself the appalling conditions that drivers are facing. I made the journey five weeks ago and I have been back to Calais today to assess the current situation and to establish for myself the problems facing our drivers.”

Rail freight implications

Disruption caused by continuing unrest in Calais could seriously dent confidence in rail freight services through the Channel Tunnel, according to the Freight Transport Association (FTA).

Incursions by migrants and track blockades by striking staff have repeatedly interrupted freight train services over the past few weeks. The impact on road freight and holiday traffic has been well documented, but FTA’s Chris MacRae says it has serious implications for international rail freight too.

Mr MacRae, FTA’s Head of Rail Freight Policy, said: "What is likely to happen as a consequence is that confidence in rail freight as a viable alternative to road will be undermined.  We saw this happen a decade ago when migrants were trying to board freight trains to reach the UK – it was a serious set-back for Channel Tunnel rail freight.

"The impact on road freight due to Operation Stack and port delays in Calais has been widely reported, but the long-term effect on international rail freight traffic could be devastating.  FTA is keen to encourage multimodal transport and increased use of the rail freight network, which has great capacity for expansion. This situation isn’t going to help.”

Mr MacRae said he had spoken to one business in Scotland that regularly used the tunnel and had managed only five out of a planned 25 train services in the past five weeks at a loss of around £150,000. And another rail freight operator said the situation was "the worst since 2001/2”.

Mr MacRae said: "This can’t be allowed to continue – businesses are losing money day after day because of delays and cancellations to services caused by the migrants and strikers.”

FTA has written to the Prime Minister urging him to work with the French Government to find a solution to the problems in Calais, which have cost millions to Britain’s economy.