Stowaways raise cost of goods

 The price of imported goods is set to rise, hauliers have said, as figures show stowaway migrants from Calais are costing the industry £8 million a year.

Penalties of up to £2,000 per migrant were imposed on drivers or their employers at the rate of more than 10 a day during the 2016-17 financial year, a 12 per cent increase on the previous 12 months and a total cost of £7.8million.

Rod Mckenzie, director of policy for the Road Haulage Association, warned the cost of fines would be added to consumer goods. “If I’m a haulier and I’ve been hit with fines, I’ve got to recover my costs or I’ll go out of business, so I’ve got to pass on my costs,” he said.