Almost half of lorry drivers unhappy with quality of HGV truckstops in UK, survey reveals

Transport Focus’ new Lorry Driver Facilities Survey found that another 50% believe facilities have got worse over the past 12 months.

Drivers revealed they often don’t feel welcome, safe or able to get a decent meal or proper rest at many truckstops.

Researchers surveyed more than 7,000 lorry drivers about their experience at a third of all motorway services, ‘A’ road services and truck stops in England. The remaining sites will be included in the next two years of the survey.

The Formula Truck Stop in Ellesmere Port was the most highly rated truck stop, followed by three other independent lorry parks - Skelmersdale Truckstop, Sutterton Truckstop and Junction 23 Lorry Park.

Dominating the bottom of the league table are five Moto truckstops. In last place is Moto Woolley Edge North, followed by Moto Severn View, Moto Lancaster South, Moto Birch East; and Moto Chieveley.

Less than four in 10 lorry drivers said they were satisfied with the number of stopping places available in the UK.

When no services are available, drivers can be forced to park in laybys or industrial estates, which lack basic amenities like toilets and have little to no security.

Comments from lorry drivers taking part in the survey revealed a high level of frustrations.

One lorry driver said: “I drive about 4,000 miles per week. I’m shattered when I get to truck stops and want a nice shower, healthy food and good sleep. Some truck stops offer only unhealthy food and the showers and toilets are dirty so it’s just making my life so upsetting and stressful and I end up not getting any sleep and I feel terrible.”

Another lorry driver commented: “We need more safe and secure parking. There is a massive shortage of available parking and certainly secure parking. Load and fuel thefts are at an all-time high and nothing seems to be getting done about it.”

One female lorry driver commented: “The only shower is in the men’s bathroom. More and more female lorry drivers are driving now, we shouldn’t have to go in the men’s bathroom to shower.”

Others praised the Formula Truck Stop in Ellesmere Port, which emerged as the best rated site by lorry drivers, with 99% of lorry drivers satisfied. One visitor said: “Need more places like Formula. It has everything you need - clean toilets, showers, visible security, good food.”

The UK driver shortage remains a significant challenge. According to DfT official statistics, the vacancy gap currently sits at 24%.

Transport Focus warned this issue is likely to worsen as a significant portion of the workforce approaches retirement. Women account for just 2% of all drivers, representing an untapped potential workforce.

Alex Robertson, Transport Focus chief executive, said: “Lorry drivers are crucial to the economy, transporting goods across the country to fill supermarkets shelves and get medical supplies to hospitals.

“Many of us take for granted our ability to use the toilet, make a hot drink and get a proper rest when we need to. But for lorry drivers, these basic needs often aren’t being met.

“Our new research shows the scale of the problem that persists and that’s why we are bringing government and industry together to develop a long-term solution so we can keep our lorries, and the people who drive them, moving safely.”

Transport Focus is calling for four key areas to be addressed: 

• Better and consistent quality of services - work must be done to drive up standards and ensure consistent quality of facilities across sites.
• Parking capacity that meets demand - there should be a sustained focus on increasing parking capacity and lorry driver facilities in the right places to ensure that availability meets the growing demand.
• Safety and security for drivers and vehicles - standards must be improved, particularly at sites where there are security concerns, so that drivers and loads are safe and feel safe.
• Providing a welcoming environment - the approach of some services, which leaves lorry drivers feeling less valued than other customers, must be challenged.

These results come ahead of a roundtable next year, hosted by Transport Focus, which will gather government, truck stop owners, motorway service operators, trade associations and the wider roads industry to develop a long-term solution to keep lorries, and the people who drive them, moving safely.

Future of Roads Minister Lillian Greenwood said: “Lorry drivers are the unsung heroes of our economy, and they deserve easily available parking, secure rest areas, and modern welfare facilities so that they can work and drive with confidence.

“That’s why the Department and industry are investing up to £43.5m to upgrade truckstops all over the country, on top of £26m from National Highways and industry, and we will work closely with Transport Focus and the sector to continue improving working conditions for lorry drivers, supporting jobs, and getting us back to growth.”

Elliot Shaw, National Highways chief customer and strategy officer, said: “HGV drivers are the backbone of the economy and that’s why we are investing £13m into improving lorry park facilities across the country. We have received positive feedback on improvements we have completed so far.

“National Highways is dedicated to working alongside industry partners to ensure safe, comfortable, and secure rest areas for all HGV drivers.”

Ashton Cull, RHA policy manager said: “We’re proud to hold our tenth National Lorry Week campaign once again celebrating our industry and its people, and the critical role they play in driving the economy.

“Transport Focus’s survey highlights the very real challenges lorry drivers face day in day out when trying to take a break and do their jobs safely. We look forward to working with Transport Focus and the wider sector on solutions to improve our roadside facilities for the better.”

Ash Evans, Formula Premier Truckstop operations manager, added: “I’m delighted that visitors in Transport Focus’s survey have given Formula truck stop such a vote of confidence. We’ll be using the results of the survey to help make further improvements and offer an exceptional experience for all who stop at our site.

“We’re looking forward to coming together at Transport Focus’s roundtable to discuss how we can ensure lorry drivers get a better deal wherever they stop and make sure this issue gets the attention it deserves.”

Michelle Gardner, Logistics UK deputy policy director, said: “Logistics drivers are the unsung heroes of our sector, ensuring that goods arrive where they are needed, on time and in great condition.

“Just like other workers in the economy, drivers deserve to have access to safe, secure and clean facilities to take mandatory rests and to look after basic human needs, with space to provide them with the rest they are legally entitled to, when they need it.

“Transport Focus’ survey demonstrates just how urgent the need for better facilities is for our industry. We are working hard to attract new recruits, particularly younger and more diverse candidates, but we are being let down by a nationwide lack of suitable rest facilities.

“It is vital that the government and private sector prioritises this issue and provides the facilities that our workforce deserves.”

The government, National Highways, and industry are investing up to £64m to provide more parking for HGVs and better conditions for lorry drivers and Transport Focus wants to see the industry deliver on its commitment to improve the experience for lorry drivers.

 

Rank	Site	Satisfied (%)	Site type
1	Formula Services	99	Truck stop
2	Skelmersdale Truck Stop	99	Truck stop
3	Sutterton Truckstop	99	Truck stop
4	Junction 23 Lorry Park	99	Truck stop
5	Exelby Services A19 North	98	Truck stop
6	Roadchef Strensham South	98	MSA
7	Hill Top Cafe	97	Truck stop
8	Dover Truckstop	97	Truck stop
9	Ashford International	97	Truck stop
10	Risbys	97	Truck stop
11	Glen Transport Services	97	Truck stop
12	Chirk Truck Stop	97	Truck stop
13	Red Lion Café and Truckstop	97	Truck stop
14	Stop24 Services Folkestone	96	MSA
15	Welford Truck Stop	96	Truck stop
16	Fox Inn	95	Truck stop
17	Lincoln Farm Truckstop	95	Truck stop
18	Stibbington Diner	95	Truck stop
19	Barney’s Transport Café	94	Truck stop
20	Riverside Transport Café	93	Truck stop
21	Roadchef Stafford South	93	MSA
22	Redbeck Motel	92	A road
23	Moto Reading West	92	MSA
24	Welcome Break Warwick South	92	MSA
25	Welcome Break South Mimms	92	MSA
26	Cartland Truck Stop	90	Truck stop
27	Roadchef Tibshelf South	90	MSA
27	Shell Thurcaston	90	A road
29	Welcome Break Corley West	90	MSA
30	Moto Wetherby	89	MSA
31	Purdy Lodge	89	A road
32	Immingham Lorry Park	88	Truck stop
33	Roadchef Chester	87	MSA
34	Moto Winchester South	87	MSA
35	Moto Lymm	87	A road
36	Four Went Ways Services	87	A road
37	Scunthorpe Truck Stop	86	Truck stop
38	Welcome Break Hopwood Park	86	MSA
39	Roadchef Maidstone	86	MSA
40	EG Rivington South	85	MSA
41	Cartgate Lodge picnic area	85	A road
42	Stainmore Cafe	84	Truck stop
43	Roadchef Durham	84	MSA
44	Welcome Break Gordano	84	MSA
45	Welcome Break Birchanger Green	84	MSA
46	Welcome Break Michaelwood North	84	MSA
47	Welcome Break London Gateway	84	MSA
48	Exelby Services Whitwood	83	Truck stop
49	Moto Cherwell Valley	83	MSA
50	Moto Grantham North	83	A road
51	Moto Hilton Park South	82	MSA
52	Extra Cambridge	82	A road
52	Moto Leigh Delamere East	82	MSA
54	Roadchef Sandbach South	82	MSA
55	Roadchef Northampton South	81	MSA
56	Moto Leeming Bar	80	A road
57	Extra Beaconsfield	80	MSA
58	Roadchef Sutton Scotney North	79	A road
59	Moto Bridgwater	78	MSA
60	Welcome Break Hartshead Moor East	76	MSA
61	Extra Cobham	76	MSA
62	J W Cousins & Sons	76	Truck stop
63	Moto Trowell North	76	MSA
64	Brampton Hut Services	74	A road
65	Moto Frankley South	74	MSA
66	Welcome Break Sedgemoor North	72	MSA
67	Welcome Break Burtonwood	72	MSA
68	Moto Chieveley	71	MSA
69	Moto Birch East	66	MSA
70	Moto Lancaster South	62	MSA
71	Moto Severn View	62	MSA
72	Moto Woolley Edge North	60	MSA

The Transport Focus survey can be found here.