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Transport chairman sees Calais ‘mayhem’ at first hand

[ December 1, 2015   //   ]

Chairman of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Freight Transport, Rob Flello has seen for himself the mayhem at the Port of Calais. He said that despite the Eurotunnel terminal now becoming “a fortress”, access roads are like a war zone, “unsafe for motorists and professional drivers.”

He promised to raise the matter at the highest levels in government and would also propose “further mitigation measures that both Eurotunnel and the Port of Calais can take based on my recent experiences.”

Last week saw at least six people injured as French riot police were forced to use tear gas to stop migrants from climbing aboard UK-bound trucks, with around 800 migrants occupying roads leading to the port, some of whom threw rocks at vehicles.

Road Haulage Association (RHA) chief executive Richard Burnett said: “Despite the implementation of a specific riot police unit based at Calais, the situation needs more ‘on the ground’ control. We are pleased that the mayor of Calais Natacha Bouchart has reiterated our call for the deployment of the military to secure Calais and its environs, but we are still waiting for this to be acted upon.”

RHA has also just received a photo of an HGV that had had a steel bar thrown through the windscreen, thrown from one of the bridges on the port approach roads. Had this been a right-hand drive UK truck, the driver would have been badly, possibly fatally, injured.

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