Recommendation 10

The Government must build on its commitment in the Queen’s Speech to reform the existing planning framework and ensure that decisions for new driver facilities are not left to individual planning authorities. The Government must reform national planning policy to ensure that more driver facilities, which are fit for purpose and industry leading, are delivered. The Government must make an assessment as to whether the demand for new facilities can be delivered with only light reform. If it cannot, the Government should seek to take this dilemma from local authorities and local plans and place the responsibility at a central level. This would rightly recognise these facilities as key national infrastructure assets.