The head of one of the UK's leading hauliers has urged the industry to sign an online petition demanding councils and major developers include HGV welfare facilities on their agendas.
Moreton Cullimore, MD of the Cullimore Group, said a full review of planning legislation is needed to force councils to include adequate, safe and secure HGV parking with refreshment and washing facilities for drivers during the building of large distribution parks or when undertaking major road improvement or other construction works.
"HGV traffic is a direct indication on the health of a nation's economy," he said. "Providing drivers with adequate parking areas prevents conflict with those who disapprove of this vital industry, protects the welfare of the driver and improves road safety and the safety of the vehicle. It will encourage new blood to the industry."
The news comes after motortransport.co.uk revealed in May that hauliers are still parking in unsafe locations with inadequate welfare, hygiene and sanitation facilities - two years after the government promised to provide more secure parking sites.
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Operators said parking provision has not improved since the DfT published a survey in 2018 identifying the immediate need for 1,411 HGV parking spaces across the country.
The government has since pledged to improve overnight HGV parking facilities through “established and new” processes as part of its Covid-19 recovery plan.
Cullimore's petition has attracted 4,000 signatures in only two weeks while an associated video on social media has attracted around 60,000 views in only 10 days.
The petition takes less than a minute to sign, Cullimore said, and will run until February 2021.
It can be found here: https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/323286