GETTY Traffic jams by the Austrian and Hungary border

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Amid record numbers of migrants in Europe, freight is being disrupted and thousands of drivers are experiencing chaos every day.



Germany, Austria and Slovenia have placed controls on borders, while Hungary and Croatia have closed parts of country lines altogether, creating huge diversions for traffic.



And now critics have warned that that the problem is likely disrupting businesses in Britain.



James Hookham, deputy chief executive of the UK Freight Transport Association, said: “Any delays at borders will inevitably have a knock-on effect for our members in terms of delays and additional costs.



He added: "Delays such as those currently experienced at borders outside Europe will always have an effect on our members’ businesses.”

Peter Cullum of the UK Road Haulage Association said that issues could already be affecting trade costs in Britain, but that knock-on effects are hard to calculate.



He said costs are added to suppliers when firms realise they are being hit by delays.



He said: "Once you know there will be problems you will adjust contracts adding extra days for delivery."

GETTY Traffic queues ahead of the German and Austrai border

The flow of cargo has already slowed in southern countries including Macedonia, Turkey, Greece and Bulgaria.



Arpad Vasarhelyi, chief executive of the Hungarian unit of logistics company DB Schenker, said routes through Serbia and to the Balkans were in a "critical" state, with the crisis slowing both road and rail deliveries. He said: "Certain traffic has been diverted to alternative routes, which can be more expensive.” Truck drivers also face penalties for not delivering on time after being caught up in the pandemonium.

GETTY Traffic james ahead of German and Austrian border

British hauliers have already told Express.co.uk their businesses are facing closure as migrants in Calais slow cargo down as they make daily attempts to get to Britain. Aleksandar Momcilovic drives a truck carrying sunflower meal and soy meal from Serbia to Italy and usually it takes eight hours to reach his final destination near Genoa. But last week he spent almost three days at the border between Serbia and Croatia. He said: "Who is going to pay for that?"

REUTERS Migrants queue to board a train at the railway station in Zakany, Hungary October 1, 2015