Court forces port to take livestock
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by Juliet Morrison • A group of 30 livestock hauliers and exporters have won a High Court injunction which forces the port of Shoreham to accept their trucks. The ruling, which was awarded on Monday (13 March), follows Shoreham Port Authority's move a week ago to turn away livestock trade.
The hauliers and exporters had been running a Shoreham to Dieppe ferry service, called International Traders Ferry, since January. But last week the Shoreham Port Authority wrote to ITF expressing its "deep concerns" about the disruption its service had caused to the local community and other port users.
Sussex police force has spent more than ,C3m policing the animal rights protests at the port since ITF launched its service. At one time about 1,300 officers were at the port policing one sailing.
In its letter, the port authority's lawyers said that the port's "concerns are so serious that the port authority now believes the facilities necessary for successful operation on the scale your clients intend are not present in the port".
ITF claimed that by refusing its trade, the port was in breach of contract and statutory duty. It expressed disgust that the protesters had so much influence. "In England," says ITF, "we pride ourselves on our deeply held commitment to the rule of law. It is a disgusting state of affairs when decent, law-abiding citizens are denied the right to trade because a band of anarchists, masquerading as 'animal lovers' and cashing-in on the genuine concerns of well-intentioned people, are allowed to take the law into their own hands." The High Court ruling, which is pending a full hearing, includes the proviso that ITF must not operate its new vessel, the Cap Bon, at its full capacity. The Cap Bon is three times larger than ITF's existing ferry Northern Cruiser. Although the Cap Bon has capacity for 35 trucks, the High Court ruled ITF may only carry 10 trucks. '7.
Protests at Shoreham have cost police more than Om.