The founder of a British charity has angered the haulage industry by claiming lorry drivers who complain about threats and attacks by migrants in Calais should just change jobs.
The founder of Care4Calais, Clare Moseley, said it was ‘not the end of the world’ if lorry drivers were forced from their work as they would still have a ‘safe future’.
Haulage operators have condemned her comments as ‘absolutely outrageous’ and say their drivers literally fear for their lives as they are forced to run the gauntlet through Calais as they attempt to deliver goods to the UK.
Clare Moseley, has sparked outrage for comments suggesting lorry drivers facing intimidation and threats from migrants in Calais should just go and find another job!
In an interview with the BBC, Ms Moseley said lorry drivers have a 'safe future' and 'if they have to change their jobs it is not the end of the world'.
Ms Moseley comments anger lorry drivers
Richard Burnett, chief executive RHA, said: 'We understand that the improvements at the camp are being made on humanitarian grounds.
'The RHA is not a political organisation, and has no wish to become embroiled in a political argument but surely, the 9000 HGV drivers that cross the Channel on a daily basis are also entitled to humanitarian treatment?
'The cab of a truck is an HGV drivers ‘home’ for the duration of their journey. Why are we allowing that home to be put at risk?
'If, as suggested by Ms Moseley, drivers who don’t like it leave the industry for another job, the future for the UK economy looks very bleak indeed.'
Care4Calais later apologised for the comments, saying it supported RHA members' right to continue driving through the French port.
'We apologise to anyone offended by comments taken from the BBC Inside Out interview.
'Our aim is to provide humanitarian aid to people who have fled terrible circumstances and who are now living in inhumane conditions in Calais.'
Last month haulage bosses warned drivers were facing unprecedented levels of aggression and attacks involving knives, hammers, iron bars, baseball bats and even guns.
Migrants have been dropping lumps of concrete from motorway bridges onto lorries or threatening injury to the drivers unless they let them inside their cabs in a desperate attempt to reach the UK.
Richard Newbold, founder of
Returnloads.net, said ‘The situation is far worse than it was before Christmas and doesn’t show any signs of stopping. Let’s hope something is done before someone gets seriously injured or even killed. Lorry drivers shouldn’t have to fear for their lives when delivering goods in to the UK’
Peter Cullum, of the RHA, said ‘The situation for the drivers is getting far worse. They’re facing a gauntlet of intimidation and fear. As more migrants reach Calais, they get increasingly desperate and resort to more violence. It is frightening.’
The charity boss's comments came amid growing fears for the safety of UK lorry drivers making their way through Calais, where an increasing number of desperate migrants are camped out.