The Road Haulage Association (RHA) has issued a significant call to action for Police and Crime Commissioners to tackle freight crime more aggressively.
- Freight crime has a profound economic impact, draining £250 million annually from the UK economy.
- The RHA’s manifesto includes several key recommendations to mitigate crime against freight operators and drivers.
- Ensuring the true impact of these crimes is reflected in policing plans is among the foremost recommendations.
- Improved security measures and local awareness campaigns are advocated as part of a broader strategy to address the issue.
The Road Haulage Association (RHA) has launched a manifesto aimed at encouraging Police and Crime Commissioners to intensify efforts against freight crime. This call to action comes on the back of alarming statistics that reveal the cost of freight crime to the UK economy amounts to approximately £250 million annually.
A prominent feature of the RHA’s manifesto is a set of recommendations designed to enhance the fight against freight crime. These include making freight crime a priority in policing plans, ensuring that police forces fully appreciate its impact on victims, particularly businesses and drivers. The manifesto calls for a stronger relationship with the National Vehicle Crime Intelligence Service (NaVCIS) and stresses reporting freight crime incidents to this unit, including using the #FREIGHT tag in reports.
The RHA encourages collaboration among police forces, facilitated by the Association of Police and Crime Commissioners, to address freight crime more effectively. The inclusion of freight crime within organised crime policies is endorsed alongside a concerted effort to develop safe and secure truck parking options through industry and local authority partnerships.
Further recommendations involve using commissioning powers to fund enforcement actions related to freight crime, supporting truckstops to improve their security measures, and creating local awareness campaigns. These measures, complemented by lobbying for national strategies and government funding, particularly towards NaVCIS operations, signify a strategic approach to the issue.
In addition to tackling freight crime, the RHA addresses concerns related to the movement of abnormal loads. Inconsistent enforcement by police forces concerning these loads has been highlighted as a significant issue, impacting hauliers and the broader economy at an estimated annual cost of £16.8 million. The RHA’s manifesto calls for greater consistency and efficiency in managing these operations, citing independent economic research commissioned by the Abnormal Loads Group.
The overarching goal of the RHA’s proposals is to reinforce safety and security in the freight sector, alleviating the economic and personal burdens placed on operators, drivers, and associated industries.
The RHA urges strategic partnerships and enhanced enforcement to effectively combat freight crime.
