MPs are set to examine whether conditions for lorry drivers have improved almost four years after Parliament last investigated the UK’s road freight supply chain.
The House of Commons Transport Committee will hold a one-off evidence session on HGV and coach driver facilities at the Palace of Westminster on Wednesday morning (11 March).
The session will hear from industry representatives including Declan Pang, RHA policy director; Adrian Jones, Unite national officer; Maddi Solloway-Price, Logistics UK head of road freight policy; Alex Robertson, Transport Focus chief executive; and Nikki Rogers, Moto trading director for retail and fuel.
MPs will question witnesses on whether the availability and quality of parking and welfare facilities for HGV drivers has improved since the committee’s 2022 report on the UK road freight supply chain.
That inquiry was launched during the Covid-19 pandemic, when supply chain disruption led to shortages of goods at supermarkets and petrol stations across the UK.
The committee concluded at the time that poor roadside facilities and a lack of secure parking were among the issues affecting driver recruitment and retention.
The committee recommended that government take action to improve standards at truck stops and increase HGV parking capacity across the country.
Despite government and industry investment, concerns remain over the availability and quality of facilities for drivers.
Recent research by Transport Focus found that 62% of drivers were dissatisfied with the quality of roadside facilities and 61% said there were not enough suitable places to stop.
A 2022 national survey also identified a shortage of around 4,500 HGV parking spaces across England, highlighting long-standing concerns around driver welfare and security at rest locations.
The DfT and industry have since launched a number of funding programmes aimed at improving facilities. Joint investment schemes are expected to deliver tens of millions of pounds for upgraded truck stops, additional parking and improved security and welfare facilities.
During the session MPs are expected to question witnesses on the biggest barriers drivers face when trying to access rest facilities and how conditions vary between motorway service areas, independent truck stops and other locations.
They will also examine the impact poor facilities may have on driver health and wellbeing and whether conditions are affecting recruitment and retention in the haulage sector.
The committee is expected to use the session to assess whether government action since 2022 has been sufficient or whether further intervention is needed to improve conditions for drivers across the UK road network.
