The Road Haulage Association had threatend that its members might dump stowaways on the doorstep of the Home Office in protest at the prospect of fines for carrying immigrants.

Truckers said lorry drivers could end up paying thousands of pounds in fines under the proposals even if they unknowingly carried illegal immigrants into the country.

But the former Tory transport minister and head of the Road Hauliers Association, Steven Norris described his meeting with MR O'Brien as constructive.

He said: "There was a clear acknowledgement on both sides that we have to work together to solve this issue rather than work against each other.

"We will be putting together a package of proposals to deal with the issue of illegal immigrants and have been invited to another meeting at the Home Office in a couple of weeks time to discuss them with ministers.

"We welcome the fact that the Home Office appreciates that working with hauliers is the best way to find a resolution to this problem.

"We are cautiously optimistic that we will be able to find a solution to what is clearly a serious problem."

Truckers fears over stowaways first aroused when Home Secretary Jack Straw told a recent the Commons Home Affairs Select Committee that it was considering extending to hauliers the carriers' liability for stowaways which already covers airlines.

This could mean that drivers will face fines of up to £2,000 for every illegal immigrants found in their trucks.

According to the RHA, hauliers who voluntarily report stowaways will still face the same penalties as those who choose not to.

RHA spokesman Dan Hodges said: "Anyone with an ounce of common sense can see that fining drivers who report stowaways is not the way to encourage their co-operation with the immigration authorities.