TruckPol campaign goes to Parliament
Page 8
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.
By Hayley Pink THE ROAD Haulage Association (RHA), Freight Transport Association (FTA) and CM have taken the ‘Fight Freight Crime, Save TruckPol’ campaign to government, urging transport minister Mike Penning to reinstate the unit’s funding immediately.
In a joint letter to Parliament, the campaign explains how organised truck crime hits the UK economy hard and demands a “serious and co-ordinated response”.
However, without TruckPol acting as a liaison between the industry and individual county police forces, it would be impossible to provide such a joined-up response.
The Home Ofice announced its intentions to tackle organised crime late last year, but the letter argues: “The absence of funding for TruckPol seems at odds with strong declarations we have heard from ministers in support of public/private crime-reduction partnerships and recent statements of intent from the government.” The campaign explains to Penning that levels of inancial industry support for TruckPol have grown signiicantly over the past few years, with the private-sector now contributing 65% of the unit’s funding, however, without a “matched” Home Ofice contribution, TruckPol faces closure.
“The withdrawal of government support will call into question the level of commitment the industry is prepared to make,” the letter adds.
To see the letter in full and read more about the campaign, go to www.commercialmotor. com/savetruckpol