Live CCTV streaming is the means to tackle stowaways seeking to use haulage lorries to enter the UK illegally, it’s claimed. A wireless CCTV streaming company, CriticalStreaming, says the ability to catch stowaways in the act supports drivers and helps address a crisis the authorities and haulage industry alike are struggling to answer.
In the past three years, 6,494 people were found in vehicles entering the UK, but the true figure is likely to be far higher, pointed out Iain Janes CEO of CriticalStreaming, pictured.
He said: “The nettle of clandestine entry to the UK needs to be grasped and CCTV is the way to do it. CCTV in transport is nothing new, but a system allowing you to see and respond in real time is. Live streaming takes pressure off drivers as proof by providing the proof for employer and authorities that all the checks to avoid a fine have been carried out.”
Failing to carry out checks can result in on the spot fines of £2,000 per person found. One driver was fined £19,500 by UK border force, despite being the one who alerted police after finding 13 people in his vehicle. Fines and legal fees can put companies out of pocket and – smaller firms out of business.
CriticalStreaming says that its products can spot potential stowaways. Live feeds can be transmitted over low bandwidth, the firm says, streaming into a control room or to a mobile phone and specific actions can also be triggered remotely. This allows locking a door, alerting the driver and responding to an alarm – even if the vehicle itself is unattended.
Janes said: “CriticalStreaming can be the part of the solution to the Calais conundrum. Next generation technology can help prevent unnecessarily fines and more importantly, put an end to the tragic death of desperate migrants. Modern CCTV does not just record incidents for future viewing; it allows direct action as an incident unfolds and potentially save money, worry and people’s lives.”
