Home Office relents
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on stowaway fines is International operators face a less worrying New Year after confirmation from the Home Office that it is unlikely to fine hauliers found with illegal immigrants in their trailers—as long as they can prove they had a comprehensive plan to combat illegal entrants and that it was used. From April hauliers unable to show that they have such a system in place will risk a £2,000 fine for each illegal immigrant found.
"If someone is sensible...the Immigration Service will take it into account." says a Home Office spokesperson. The fines will be at the discretion of the chief immigration officer at each port. If the decision is taken to impose a fine the operator will have 30 days to make to defend his case to a central administration unit in London.
Vehicles will only be impounded at the port if there is reason to think the driver will abscond. "This is certainly not something that will be done as a matter of course," says the Home Office spokesperson.
The Home Office is preparing a code of practice, and seems to have modified its demand that drivers must climb up and inspect trailer roofs for signs of entry. It now says it wants to work with the industry to make sure roof checks are carried out safely.
The Road Haulage and Freight Transport associations are pleased that the government seems to be looking more practically at operators' problems, "We would welcome anything that takes away the prospect of immediate guilt and a fine," says RHA international head Mike Freeman.
• A Hull driver has been beaten up in Calais after catching a group of immigrants breaking into the back of a truck. Dean Vann, who works for JO Riby European Transport, was set upon by 12 youths after he disturbed them climbing aboard. "I had looked the cab and the next thing I know there is a rattling on the back of the truck which was people pushing against the back doors," he says. "I told them to stop it and they started pushing and shoving and I got a boot in the middle of the back." Dean was then kicked and beaten as he lay on the ground.