Britain's biggest rail freight operator has launched an appeal in the European Parliament to force the French Government to improve security on its side of the Channel Tunnel.

The company EWS argues France is breaking European law by failing to prevent asylum seekers from the Sangatte camp near Calais from boarding its UK services.

It says lax security at rail depots on the French side of the tunnel is costing it millions in delays, cancellations and customers switching to road hauliers.

Company representatives are due to give evidence to a committee of MEPs on Wednesday afternoon.

Treaty obligations

EWS says France is breaching its obligation under the Treaty of Rome, to allow free trade movements around Europe without them being hampered by the actions of private individuals.

EWS spokesman Graham Meiklejohn said: "In this case, the private individuals are the asylum seekers that are not being prevented from getting through the tunnel and turning up in our freight yard in Folkestone."

More than 2,600 freight trains due to go through the Channel Tunnel have had to be cancelled in the last six months.

This follows a decision by the French authorities to cut the number of trains using the tunnel because of repeated attempts by asylum seekers to climb on board.

EWS wants a round-the-clock security operation to be resumed.

Road traffic

It says the train cancellations have led to the return of almost 90,000 lorries to the British and European road networks.

The company has long called on the UK Government to do more to press the French authorities on security at the freight depot.

It has said restrictions on its services, caused by asylum seekers jumping the trains, have cost it �10m in the last six months.

Only last week UK Home Secretary David Blunkett sought urgent talks with the French Government over the future of Sangatte.

This came as tougher security measures were introduced by French railway authorities at the freight depot near the tunnel entrance.

The state-owned French railway company, SNCF, said it would install infra-red cameras and build an extra layer of fencing and barbed wire around the existing fence of the depot, to deter immigrants from Sangatte.