News

Police are moving on drivers by up to 30 miles from crime-hit truck stops - instead of catching the gangs wreaking havoc in the industry. Motor Transport has been told of a growing number of "no-stop" areas up and down the country as the truck crime-wave spreads. And there is confusion over what is a reasonable distance to move drivers in terms of legality and the burden on the drivers. Growing crime has forced the secure lorry parking issue back onto the agenda of the road haulage forum, meeting  this week - even though DfT minister Stephen Ladyman washed his hands of responsibility only a year ago.

No-stop areas include Tebay truck stop on the M6 in Cumbria. Drivers tell MT they were moved 27 miles from Tebay to Truckhaven, Carnforth under police escort after reporting that their curtains had been slashed. Glenhire Express driver Kenny Smart says his trailer was slashed as he took a break. Another Glenhire driver's trailer was attacked in the same way at the same time. Officers called to the scene were keen to post a guard - but their sergeant vetoed the idea, he says. "The police insisted they couldn't protect us," Smart says. Glenhire MD Jim McClay says his firm has had "25 to 30 thefts" in the past six months, with around £18,500 worth of goods stolen from trailers.

He says police know a gang from Liverpool are responsible, but nothing has been done to apprehend the thieves. Inspector Lee Skelton says Cumbria's Operation Madras aims to catch those carrying  out haulage crimes. Moving on drivers "is not a tactic we've spoken about and not a tactic we've agreed," he tells MT. Glenhire says it has the drivers' tachograph charts, signed by the police. An industrial area in Accrington, Lancashire, is another crime hotspot where police want to move lorry drivers on elsewhere. Local police want to direct drivers - many from abroad - to Heywood, 17 miles away. But Mark Galliers, a prominent police officer at Truckpol has advised that such a diversion is too far, on cost grounds never mind driver's hours.