Above: Lorries queuing to board ferries heading to England at Calais port. The port's security is busy controlling the flood of illegal migrants who try to reach Britain.
By lumokajlinioj / ShutterStock

Wireless CCTV streaming specialist to the logistics sector, CriticalStreaming.com, says that the ability to catch stowaways in the act supports under pressure drivers and helps address a crisis the authorities and haulage industry alike are struggling to find answers to.

 
In the past three years, 6,494 people were found in vehicles entering the UK. Yet this is just the numbers caught with the true figure likely to be far higher. These numbers translate into human misery for the victims of criminal people smugglers and hauliers face huge fines for failing to spot stowaways.
 
“The nettle of clandestine entry to the UK needs to be grasped and CCTV is the way to do it,” said Iain Janes (right) CEO of CriticalStreaming. “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 products can spot potential stowaways before they make their move. High quality live feeds can be transmitted over low bandwidth, 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.
 
“CriticalStreaming can be the part of the solution to the Calais conundrum,” added Janes. “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.”
 
The Calais refugee crisis has witnessed a dramatic rise in the number of fines, increasing from 998 in 2012-13; to over 3,319 in 2015. At £2,000 per fine (or over £6.5 million) an effective CCTV solution from CriticalStreaming would be a fraction of the price.
 
Live streaming innovation on public transport has proven the viability of the technology, as the best in class streaming over GPRS, 3G and mobile networks.