The National Lorry Parking Survey 2022 (part one) came out at the end of the year and the logistics industry was ready to respond. So what’s in the report, and why does it matter to truck drivers? It offers up facts and figures around on-site parking, covering cost and value, locations, food provision and capacity.
Now the numbers are in black and white. Here are some of the findings, and responses from the industry.
What Is The 2022 National Lorry Parking Survey?
Five years ago, the Department for Transport surveyed on-site lorry parking across England. In 2022 they commissioned a new report, giving the industry fresh facts and figures on the number of spaces available, the pressure they’re under and what the facilities are like.
The survey took in a grand total of 3,241 laybys, 827 industrial estates and 328 on-site parking facilities. That includes motorway and trunk road services, independent truck stops and local authority stops.
On-Site Parking in Short Supply?
Can lorry drivers find an on-site parking space for overnight stops? It’s not always possible, sending many drivers to off-site locations. And the National Lorry Parking Survey 2022 findings confirm it. Logistics UK spoke out to say that, essentially, it backs up industry voices:
“results from the National Lorry Parking Survey have confirmed that England’s commercial drivers are woefully under-catered for when it comes to accessing safe and secure overnight parking areas. This has been an issue for too long…”
Logistics UK
Of course, that means going without security patrolling the premises and all the amenities you might need. And that’s not including the trouble it causes to route planning. When you can’t count on parking up at a certain location, it adds a complication for lorry drivers at the end of a long day.
The DfT survey offers up some facts and figures about on-site parking woes.
Back in 2017 when the last National Lorry Parking Survey results were released, 65 English on-site lorry parking facilities were operating at full capacity, or beyond it. According to the 2022 report, that number has now risen to 100 locations in England running at or over 100%. That’s almost a third of all locations in the country.
In the East of England, just 10 sites were deemed ‘acceptable’. All the others ranked as serious or critical, making it hard for lorry drivers in England to predict where they could find a place.
The report went further by working out how many trucks were looking for somewhere to stop every night. The audit team tallied up the lorries parked on laybys and industrial estates. Using their on- and off-site tallies, the researchers crunched the numbers.
It turns out that England’s off-site locations would need to increase their capacity by 27% to accommodate all the drivers in need of overnight parking.
Do Lorry Drivers Get Value for Money?
Lorry parking spaces aren’t the only concern – here are the National Lorry Parking Survey 2022 findings on security, value and convenience. Researchers also totted up the average cost of a night’s stay.
The average cost of on-site parking across the country came out at £28.16. The East of England, London and the South East came out as the priciest places for lorry drivers to park. West Midlands lorry facilities have been ranked as the 4th most expensive for on-site parking, coming in at £29.53 – more than a pound higher than the national average.
On the flipside, some of the pricier areas represent higher quality services with toilets, cafes and showers for drivers.
How Good are On-Site Facilities for HGV Drivers in the UK?
What’s life like as an HGV driver on UK roads? Drivers have first-hand experience, but the 2022 Department for Transport survey sets out the issues in black and white.
As part of the process, researchers found out just how many facilities are offering the things drivers look for. That includes food options, places to clean up, and a secure place to park and rest for the night. According to the 2022 DfT survey, just 25% of all motorway service areas ticked all the boxed with toilets and showers, a café, lighting and a security fence.
What’s the Issue for the Industry?
As well as adding complications for truck drivers, logistics groups warn that the UK’s lorry parking standards make the job unattractive to new recruits.
“Poor quality facilities at parking locations, sub-standard security, and the cost of parking are all areas of great concern…” say Logistics UK, who are worried these pressures could turn HGV drivers away from haulage.
You can read up on the rankings, differences between areas, and how the auditors tallied up their findings in the Department for Transport’s report.