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Calais van driver death was tragedy waiting to happen, says FTA
[ June 20, 2017 // Chris ]The driver of a Polish-registered van has died after crashing into stationary trucks forced to a stop by a migrant barricade on the A16 motorway near Calais early on the morning of 20 June.
The Freight Transport Association (FTA) is calling on the French government to take urgent action, saying that it had been warning of such a tragedy for years.
EU Affairs Manager Chris Yarsley said: “This has brought the issue of migrants targeting drivers in Calais to the fore once again. FTA warned two years ago that their actions would lead to a death and it is now imperative that the French government takes action to control the situation and ensure the safety of drivers travelling to and from the port.
“Major roads around Calais must be effectively policed to prevent migrants creating these dangerous road blocks. Authorities must do more to detain migrants and move them away from the area. The situation for our members improved after the Jungle camp was cleared at the end of last year but we have had reports that problems are returning to the area. Indeed, several rest stops have been closed to truck drivers because of issues with migrants,” he said.
In March this year FTA called on the French authorities to provide more secure parking for HGVs after motorway operator Sanef announced that one rest area on the A16 and three on the A26 would stay shut until the end of June.
Mr Yarsley added: “This death was wholly preventable and we must ensure that no-one else dies as a result of the dangerous actions of migrants on the roads.”
Local estimates say around 700 migrants have returned to the Calais area since the camp was dismantled. is encouraging its members to sign up to the Border Force civil penalty accreditation scheme which offers information and advice about preventing migrant incursions.