Hauliers invite David Cameron to visit Calais to witness migrant crisis

David Cameron has been urged to travel to Calais to witness the impact of the migrant crisis "first hand".

The Prime Minister has been invited to make a journey across the Channel by the Road Haulage Association (RHA).

It comes as pressure on the Government to secure a long-term solution to the emergency continues.

RHA chief executive Richard Burnett said:"Without witnessing the mayhem at Calais first hand, neither the Prime Minister, nor his advisers can fully grasp the severity of the situation.

"I have therefore issued an invitation to David Cameron to travel with him across the Channel to see for himself the appalling conditions that drivers are facing.

"I made the journey five weeks ago and I have been back to Calais today to assess the current situation and to establish for myself the problems facing our drivers."

Lorries have repeatedly been targeted by migrants desperately trying to reach Britain.

The crisis is said to have cost the economy millions of pounds as hauliers are forced to dispose of contaminated goods and wait in lengthy queues on the M20 in Kent.

Mr Burnett has written to the Prime Minister requesting an urgent meeting.

The RHA welcomed increased security measures at Calais but called for a "more comprehensive solution" to restore free movement of lorries through the port.

"We need the same level of commitment to protecting truck drivers, their vehicles and loads as we are seeing towards protecting the valuable Channel Tunnel infrastructure at Coquelles. We are not seeing that and we are not hearing it from the Prime Minister," Mr Burnett said.

"We recognise the scale and complexity of the migrant crisis and the humanitarian issue involved. However, that is a separate issue from the urgent need to allow trucks to move freely and without intimidation.

"The migrants are hell-bent on reaching the UK. If the Tunnel becomes harder to access, they will simply focus their attentions further back to the Tunnel approach roads. We need to hear a clear commitment to doing what is necessary to protect drivers."