According to a new report by the Road Haulage Association (RHA), detections of stowaways at Calais, Coquelles and Dunkerque fell from more than 56,000 in 2016 to about 5,000 in 2024, following major investments in security and surveillance. However, while incidents at ports have fallen, the RHA argues that the Clandestine Entrant Civil Penalty Scheme (CECPS) is “too rigid, unevenly enforced, and routinely ends up punishing those who are going in the right direction.”
Penalties of up to £10,000 per stowaway
Under the current scheme, hauliers face fines of up to £10,000 for each clandestine entrant found in their vehicle, with additional penalties of up to £6,000 for insecure vehicles. These fines can be imposed even if drivers or operators were unaware of anyone boarding their vehicle.
The RHA says members have reported penalties being issued despite drivers keeping correct records, maintaining security, or even when entrants boarded while the vehicle was moving. In some cases, operators have been fined for trailers left in secure compounds outside their control, or when stowaways were missed by Border Force’s own checks.
Government response criticised
The Independent Chief Inspector of Borders and Immigration (ICIBI) reviewed the scheme in late 2024. While the Home Office accepted the need to appoint a senior operational lead and conduct a full review of the penalty system, it rejected proposals such as rolling out integrated number plate recognition at French ports, citing cost concerns.
The government has also pledged to improve training and data analysis, but stopped short of fully implementing several of the inspector’s recommendations.
Industry frustration
The RHA maintains that operators who take reasonable precautions should not be held liable for clandestine entry.
“Whereas the scheme’s purpose is correct, in practice it’s too rigid, unevenly enforced, and routinely ends up punishing those who are going in the right direction,” the report states.
The International Road Transport Union (IRU) has also criticised the UK’s approach, contrasting it with European and US systems that only impose penalties where intent or proven involvement in people smuggling is established. In most EU countries, insecure vehicles alone do not result in penalties.
Wider impact on supply chains
The RHA estimates that cross-Channel clandestine entry costs the industry around £1 billion a year in damage, insurance, delays and lost revenue. Some EU hauliers have withdrawn from the UK market altogether, citing the risks of fines and security threats, which the report warns increases supply chain risk for the UK economy.
The association is calling for a thorough overhaul of the civil penalty regime, clearer and more practical guidance for drivers, and stronger cooperation between UK and EU authorities to tackle organised smuggling networks.
Shift from lorries to small boats
The report also highlights a major shift in migration methods. Until 2018, most clandestine entrants reached the UK hidden in freight vehicles, but since then small boat crossings have become the dominant route. Despite this, authorities in the Netherlands and other ports continue to report incidents involving ferries bound for the UK, often involving groups of migrants boarding trailers undetected.
The RHA concludes that the UK cannot tackle the issue of clandestine entry alone and calls for greater international collaboration. As one former police officer quoted in the report noted:
“Border control on its own we know just doesn’t work… The process should be more about encouraging people not to take these dangerous trips in the first place.”
