Lorry drivers in the UK are being hit with substantial fines even when they alert authorities to stowaway migrants, according to industry figures. In one case, a driver who called police after discovering 13 people inside his trailer on the M25 was fined £19,500. The fine was later reduced on appeal, but the company still lost £18,000 in fines and legal costs.
New figures obtained under the Freedom of Information Act show that the number of fines issued to hauliers for 'clandestine entrants' has more than tripled in three years, from 998 in 2012-13 to 3,319 in the past year. Drivers face on-the-spot fines of up to £2,000 for each person found inside their vehicles.
James Tennant, director of West Midlands haulage firm MoveCorp, said the fines create a disincentive for drivers to report stowaways. 'My driver did the right thing, followed company procedure, and was penalised. Luckily we can afford to pay the costs, but it would have ruined a small family firm,' he told the Guardian.
The volatile situation at Calais makes checks difficult, with drivers facing threats and dangerous conditions. Donald Armour of the Freight Transport Association said the Home Office needed to show more understanding for drivers who may be intimidated. 'Now it's large groups of people. You can find 17 people trying to get in, not three,' he said.
A Home Office spokesman said only 7% of those caught were British drivers and that penalties only apply when drivers fail to carry out proper checks. 'Drivers who have properly secured vehicles will not receive a fine,' the spokesman added.
