Deliver more safe and secure lorry parks to tackle freight crime – RHA

The RHA is calling for more safe and secure lorry parking to reduce freight crime amid reports of a spate of thefts from supermarket trucks in the South East of England.

The Association said the industry needs thousands of parking spaces across the country as organised crime gangs target high-value cargo from trucks.

The Times reports that cigarettes, alcohol and clothing consignments have been snatched from the back of lorries as criminal networks target "specific trucks" and research the spots where they are likely to stop. HGV drivers have been targeted after leaving distribution centres in Hampshire, Essex and Kent.

The RHA told them: "A key issue is a lack of safe and secure parking for lorry drivers. We estimate we need another 11,000 [sites] across the country. This would make it harder for organised crime gangs to target HGVs and would give truckers greater peace of mind when they're parked up overnight on the road."

Freight crime is a national problem but it's difficult to understand its true scale because of the way it is recorded which is why the RHA has called on ministers to create a freight crime offence, and come up with appropriate sentencing options to reflect the seriousness of the crime.

Most incidents of freight crime are recorded as "Theft from a motor vehicle", which means that theft of thousands of pounds' worth of cargo or fuel is recorded the same as a phone stolen from a car.

Freight crime costs the UK around £250 million a year and in 2023 the estimated cost to the economy exceeded £420m. According to the National Freight and Cargo Crime Analysis Yearly Report, the number of reports of HGV and cargo crime in 2023 was 5,373 - though the actual figures are likely to be much higher. This resulted in an estimated cost of the loss in value from thefts alone of £68 million - and the retail value will be much higher. The average loss per reported incident was £13,252.

The Association has long called for reform of planning rules to make it easier for developers to build much-needed new facilities - which the new government is committed to. The RHA is also leading a new government taskforce on roadside facilities.

The Department for Transport and the vehicle crime intelligence service are analysing HGV-related crimes and focusing on hotspots and crime patterns with existing parking spots. Ministers have also pledged "high-quality, safe and secure facilities across the country" for lorry drivers and funding has been made available.