Fruitless search
Page 7
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.
costs haulier £200 COMMON
by Tom Hayes and Karen Miles • Portsmouth's port authorities are under fire after a driver was forced to stump up £200 when his lorry, carrying lemons, was stopped and searched.
Portsmouth Handling Services found nothing illegal when it searched self-employed Doug Brydie's truck but it still tried to charge him for carrying out the search.
The 47-year-old from Southsea, Hants, refused to pay and his lorry was impounded until the money was put up by Essexbased importer Manuel Perez.
Brydie has enlisted the support of Portsmouth South Tory MP David Martin and the Road Haulage Association to back his case.
Brydie told the Portsmouth News-: "I have been in the transport business for 25 years and I am as against drugs as anyone else. But I was only expecting to earn £400 for the job so I was left with nearly nothing."
Road Haulage Association international controller Mike Freeman says Brydie's case is one of many: "It really is quite outrageous. One of the things that upsets people is their arrogant attitude. There is an argument the Government should pay because these searches are carried out in the public interest. What is clear is that the haulier shouldn't pay."
The port authorities franchise the customs work and Plymouth and Poole also impose charges, although many ports now wrap up the costs in port fees.
Freeman adds: "We advise drivers not to use these ports (Plymouth, Portsmouth and Poole) if possible and are continuing our negotiations with them—but frankly we don't seem to be getting anywhere."
The charging ports argue that hauliers can take out insurance and claim that individual charging is better for haulage companies than a blanket charge.
Portsmouth Handling Services declined to comment.