Immigration minister Robert Goodwill has announced that £2 million will be spent on a 4m-high wall along the access dual carriageway to the Port of Calais.
The news comes amid reports of increasing numbers at the nearby migrant camps, and fears of disruption to freight traffic.
But industry bodies have said the wall is a “waste of money” and will simply push the problem further down the road.
Chief executive of the FPC, Nigel Jenney, told FPJ the wall does not go far enough to ensure security throughout the journey of a freight vehicle. “All we’re doing is moving the problem down the road,” he said. “The government has failed to recognise that we need robust security throughout a journey.”
Chris Yarsley, EU affairs manager at the Freight Trade Association (FTA), said: “FTA supports all measures introduced to increase security around the Port. While the wall will be an initial deterrent it does not tackle the root of the problem in Calais.'
Yarsley said the FTA has been calling on the French authorities to move the Jungle Camp. “In addition, proper processes to identify genuine asylum seekers need to be introduced as a matter of urgency, until this happens the situation will not change but only get worse,” he added.
For the full story see next issue of FPJ, out Friday 9 September.
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