Move to stop illegal migrants boarding cross-Channel trucks

In an attempt to curtail illegal migrants hiding in heavy commercial vehicles to cross the Channel between France and England, Eurotunnel has converted its existing terminal parking area into an extended pre check-in zone to provide increased security for 150 additional trucks on site.

In its newsletter, the British International Freight Association (Bifa) has welcomed this move.

This extended terminal facility and the new secure truck park due to open later this year should, it said, “further reduce the ability of migrants to climb aboard vehicles”.

Meantime, the association added, these migrants doing the same thing on trucks crossing the Channel on ferries were a threat to this cross channel trade.

"Our members' cross-channel trailer services are targeted by the migrants putting the security of drivers, vehicles and loads at risk," said Bifa.

"This delays arrival times at depots, jeopardises the delivery and causes huge inefficiencies in their transport planning."