Recommendation 8

HM Government Acknowledged

The Government recognises the need to ensure hauliers have access to appropriate services and facilities and believes that the private sector is best placed to deliver new capacity and high-quality facilities for drivers. The Government is gathering evidence on HGV parking and facilities in England and commissioned a ‘National Lorry Parking Survey’ early this year. The full survey will run for twelve months and enable us to understand what improvements are most needed and where they are most needed. The survey will be published early in 2023. This evidence will assist industry in improving the quantity and quality of HGV parking and be used in the matched-funding grant we are launching later this year. The £32.5M scheme will invite applications from operators to fund improvements to HGV driver facilities such as improved shower and washroom facilities, catering areas, security lighting, barriers and perimeter fencing, or capacity improvements. In addition, National Highways will be investing £20m of existing funds in improving roadside facilities for freight drivers on the strategic road network. The Government does not at this stage intend to set up a Government-Industry taskforce. But we are working closely with Logistics UK, National Highways, the Chartered Institute of Logistics & Transport, Transport Focus (the transport users’ independent watchdog) and other industry stakeholders on improvements to the lorry parking and diver welfare facilities.