Freight crimes could cost the industry £6.1bn by 2049

An estimated £250 million is lost annually to freight crimes in the UK, with a predicted total cost to the industry of £6.1 billion by 2049.

That’s according to research by Snap, the haulage industry’s digital marketplace, which says with inflation this figure could reach £7.9bn. 

Across Europe €8.2bn is lost to cargo theft, every year.

Matthew Bellamy, managing director at Snap, said: “There is an urgent need for investments in the safety and security of truck parks across the UK and Europe, truck drivers are the lifeblood of our economies and ensure that the public gets what they need.

“We need to encourage more people into the industry by offering a safe and secure environment for all.

“This highlights the need to protect drivers' wellbeing, keeping them physically and mentally safe, alongside the financial benefits for supply chain operators and improved services for the nation.”

Snap has explored what a safe and secure truck park of the future would look like by 2049, to raise awareness.

It anticipates that truck parks will have 24/7 security, including the use of robot policing that provides autonomous surveillance, allowing all areas of truck parks to be monitored, without a human needing to be present.

Secure entrances and exits will also be introduced, which will only be accessed by pre-booked trucks, and monitored via licence plate recognition.

In addition, artificial intelligence (AI) criminal pattern predictions will be employed to anticipate crime as well as facial recognition and thermal cameras, to detect any unusual activity.

Other predictions include using information from tachographs to monitor truck drivers, helping to predict when drivers will need to reach truck stops, and keeping drivers rest safely away from roadsides.