Livestock hauliers could sue UK ports
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by Juliet Morrison • Hundreds of hauliers may be able to sue ports for refusing to take their livestock trade. The turnround came last week when the High Court ruled that ports were acting unlawfully when they refused to take animals destined for slaughter.
The judicial review referred to Dover, Plymouth and Coventry, although it could be used as a test case if legal action is taken against any other port banning the L200ma-year cross-Channel trade.
Peter Gilder, the Gloucestershire-based livestock haulier who requested the judicial review, is trying to retrieve £3.5m he says he has lost through a reduction in exports and having a ferry laid up after being refused access at Plymouth. He is optimistic that the judgement could lead to other ports accepting the trade: "The case should enlighten other ports to the law. It will be up to their own individual cases to decide to handle the traffic or be subject to the heavy hand of the law."
• Gloucestershire-based Peter Gilder & Sons plans to start a Dover to Dunkirk ferry service this Thursday (20 April). The Five-day-a-week service will have capacity For 56 vehicles. Peter Gilder's brother Gordon Gilder is also planning to launch a service from Dover, which will have room for 10 trucks each sailing.
However, the Dover Harbour Board says: "We may appeal on the grounds that we do not have room at the port for such services. All ferry berths have been allocated to existing customers."
The Road Haulage Association says many of its 300 livestock haulage members might try to sue ports for refusing their trade: "The cost to the industry has been astronomical. And if this is due to the illegal activities by ports, hauliers could be in a good position to seek some recompense," says RHA livestock controller Graham Houghton. He adds that since the first ban on livestock last summer the volume of trade has halved.