INCREASE IN FINES FOR CLANDESTINE ENTRANTS … HOW WE CAN HELP!

On February 13th 2023, the law on clandestine entrant civil penalties changed with fines rising sharply, which has made many operators stand up and think how they can quickly put enhanced protection systems in place.

Previously, both the driver and the operator could be fined £2,000 per head for any clandestine entrant found on a vehicle but the new changes see these fines increase to a potential £10,000 per individual found.

The issue of load security and unauthorised access has long been a hot topic for those transport undertakings operating internationally but we have seen the incoming changes sharpen some operators’ minds even further.

There is a requirement for an operator to have an efficient system in place to monitor the checking of vehicle and load security and the driver is responsible for carrying out checks on their vehicle and trailer each time they stop to load and unload; this is where Aquarius can help!

Operators and drivers have used the Aquarius App for the recording of defects for many years, but it is worth noting that the App also has a Security Check function. Security Check has been specifically designed to assist drivers in effectively checking the security of their vehicle and trailer, using a fully customisable template that can be altered to suit the individual needs of the operation.

Once completed, the details of the check, along with any photographic evidence, can be transmitted back to base where the data can be logged and investigated if need be.

Security Check can comprise part of an effective monitoring system that could assist an operator in gaining accreditation under the Border Force’s Civil Penalty Accreditation Scheme. In the event that a clandestine entrant is found on a vehicle, operators who are members of the Scheme may be able to reduce or avoid fines, so long as they can provide evidence that they were operating in accordance with any monitoring systems they have in place.

FreshLinc who were one of our first customers to start using the Security Check said their customers have also praised them for successfully introducing the App.

“By having live traceable and auditable digital information, showing them full diligence whilst their product is transiting across borders gives our FreshLinc customers peace of mind.”

About The New G2v2

In August 2023, we will see the introduction of yet another new tachograph with all new vehicles registered after this date due to be fitted with the next iteration of the smart tachograph.

In order to avoid confusion with the different versions of unit that have preceded it, the term G2V2 has been coined when referring to this new unit (Generation 2, Version 2). This new unit will include additional features that were not added to original Gen2 units introduced in mid-2019. Notably, this includes more detailed location tracking, which could prove useful for those vehicles that are operating internationally, as the new functionality should make the recording of border-crossings easier.

The new devices are also due to feature Bluetooth compatibility with the aim of making it simpler for drivers to record manual entries via their phone which can then be transmitted to the tachograph and written to the driver card. Given the number of conversations with operators about the current record-keeping requirements, this sounds like it could be a welcome addition! However, at this stage, details regarding how this would work remain sketchy but more information on this should be made available over the next few months.

Another new feature is the requirement to record the type of load that the vehicle is carrying (i.e., goods or passengers) along with the location of any load or unloading activity. It remains to be seen how much additional work this will create but, again, more details will be made available throughout the course of this year.

The introduction of an updated tachograph will also mean we will see a further revision to the driver card in preparation for the extension of roadside record keeping from 28 to 56 days due to be introduced at the end of 2024.