In the UK, 16.5 million GBP in joint government and industry funding will help enhance truckstops for lorry drivers.
With this funding, 38 truck stops in England will be upgraded with new showers and restaurants. In addition, more secure fencing will be installed around the rest areas and new parking spaces will be built for heavy goods vehicles (HGVs).
These measures aim to improve working conditions to attract more people to the haulage sector and grow the economy.
The funding will include a 6 million GBP investment from the Department for Transport (DfT) and a 10.5 million GBP investment from the industry.
By upgrading facilities and installing better lighting and fencing, this initiative will help drivers feel safer and more secure when sleeping.
The creation of 430 new HGV parking spaces will also facilitate convenience and help free up local roads.
What’s more, the improvements will help decarbonise the haulage sector as new chargepoints will be installed to power electric HGVs. Solar panels will also be installed on lorry driver facilities to make them as sustainable as possible.
Roads Minister, Guy Opperman, said:Our lorry drivers are the backbone of a successful economy, ensuring food, goods and crucial medical supplies can get where they need to be, all over the country.
That’s why it’s only right we leave no stone unturned when it comes to supporting our lorry drivers as part of our plan to grow the economy, and today’s £16.5 million in joint government and industry funding will provide them with the safe, spacious and modern facilities they deserve.
This funding will be spread across England to ensure all lorry drivers benefit from better roadside facilities and working conditions. For example, stops will be upgraded at the Ashford International Truck Stop in Kent, the Bardon Truck Park in Leicestershire and Immingham Lorry Park in Lincolnshire.
The investment is part of the government’s HGV parking and driver welfare grant scheme. This scheme draws on the 2022 national survey on lorry parking which provides insight into the required improvements for the UK’s roadside infrastructure.
This announcement follows 15 million GBP in joint government and industry funding for similar improvements in September 2023. This brings the total joint investment up to 31 million GBP.
Declan Pang, Director of Policy and Public Affairs at the Road Haulage Association (RHA), said:We are delighted to see the government’s match funded grant scheme being awarded to projects which will make a tangible difference to the experiences of lorry drivers and provide much needed additional parking capacity to address the well-known shortage of spaces.
We are pleased to see facilities operators contribute funding and commit to improving security and conditions at the sites they operate. We look forward to seeing the positive impact the funding will have across the range of projects.
