RHA launches manifesto to drive down freight crime

The RHA has called on Police and Crime Commissioners to commit to measures to tackle freight crime and support the industry on abnormal loads.

In its Driving Down Freight Crime manifesto, the Association sets out its key asks ahead of the 2 May local elections in England and Wales.

Key recommendations:

Reference freight crime in their respective Police and Crime plan;

Encourage full engagement with the National Vehicle Crime Intelligence Service (NavCIS) including reporting instances of freight crime directly to the unit and requesting assistance where significant instances are reported;

Include freight crime in policies relating to organised crime and liaise with other forces including through the Association of Police and Crime Commissioners;

Support moves to deliver more safe and secure truck parking;

Sponsor NavCIS operations;

Support truckstops with investment in security measures;

Create a local awareness campaign;

The RHA is also calling on Police and Crime Commissioners to lobby alongside their counterparts for:

A National Police Chiefs Council freight and crime strategy, and a national awareness campaign;

Government funding towards NavCIS operations;

Engagement with Opal team on serious organised acquisitive crime;

Consistent restrictions on the movement of abnormal loads.

The RHA says in its manifesto that freight crime costs the UK economy around £250m a year. NavCIS reports that there were 5,373 reports of HGV and cargo crime in the UK in 2023, with an estimated cost of the loss in value from the thefts alone of £68m – with the retail value much higher.

The RHA is campaigning for more consistency with how police forces manage abnormal load enforcement. The RHA as part of the Abnormal Loads Group commissioned independent economic research on the impact these actions are having on hauliers and the wider economy. A CEBR report has shown that the estimated financial cost of increased requirements for hauliers moving abnormal loads is £16.8m per annum. Reduced activity and wasted time by hauliers due to increased bureaucracy has been estimated to cost up to £171m per annum.

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Notes for editors

RHA’s Driving Down Freight Crime manifesto.