Did anyone see the news reagrding the closure of 19 laybys on the A14?
They say it is for safety reasons. Where the hell are we supposed to stop now?
I run out of Felixstowe and I’m now wondering what is going to happen, I will have to only leave the dock if I have enough hours to clear the 14. My company won’t pay for services so I have to use the laybys.
Is this completely stupid or am I missing something?
Beaker1976:
Did anyone see the news reagrding the closure of 19 laybys on the A14?
They say it is for safety reasons. Where the hell are we supposed to stop now?I run out of Felixstowe and I’m now wondering what is going to happen, I will have to only leave the dock if I have enough hours to clear the 14. My company won’t pay for services so I have to use the laybys.
Is this completely stupid or am I missing something?
That sounds like good news for you then doesnt it?
If you cant park on the A14, maybe your company will pay for parking now.
Wheel Nut:
Beaker1976:
Did anyone see the news reagrding the closure of 19 laybys on the A14?
They say it is for safety reasons. Where the hell are we supposed to stop now?I run out of Felixstowe and I’m now wondering what is going to happen, I will have to only leave the dock if I have enough hours to clear the 14. My company won’t pay for services so I have to use the laybys.
Is this completely stupid or am I missing something?
That sounds like good news for you then doesnt it?
If you cant park on the A14, maybe your company will pay for parking now.
What parking? Considering the freight traffic on the A14 there is hardly any parking even with the laybys.
It’s a good idea to close a few as it reduces the potential conflict situation. Except you might end up with more broken down vehicles stranded on the side of the road.
The answer the way I see it is to leave a few as emergency only layby’s and police them and then enlarge the remaining laybys so they take upto 30 trucks and Police them.
Of course that won’t happen as it costs money and the needs of haulage are a low priority as long as the stuff gets to shops and factories then it’s all okay.
They need more, larger laybys, not less. Not to mention washing/toilet facilites!
Judging by the state of some of the ditches I think they already have toilet facilities!
not enough now and what there is are not long or wide enough,but when you are in an office dreaming these ideas up,and you can walk down the corridor.to a toilet or canteen who cares
Beaker1976:
My company won’t pay for services so I have to use the laybys.Is this completely stupid or am I missing something?
Yes.
Very.
aernt they closing the laybys to make them now for highways agency vans to stop in…well thats what they do near cambs on the a14…and defo do that near risby on the short layby…and also so police can sit there behind the barrier to check on speeding and vosa to check on dodgy operators!!
Beaker1976:
Did anyone see the news reagrding the closure of 19 laybys on the A14?
They say it is for safety reasons. Where the hell are we supposed to stop now?I run out of Felixstowe and I’m now wondering what is going to happen, I will have to only leave the dock if I have enough hours to clear the 14. My company won’t pay for services so I have to use the laybys.
Is this completely stupid or am I missing something?
You’re missing nothing mate, its completley stupid. Some people have commented here about ‘get your boss to pay for parking’ but its not as simple as that. Mine pays for parking, but you still need to stop for a break. Its about 3 hours from the M6/M1 junction which is a popular freight route. Alconbury truck stop (approx half way) is now gone. If the laybys are gone where is everyone gonna take a rest stop? Brampton Hut/Cambridge? Or the few ‘services’ with either no truck parking or a handfullof places? If everyone takes a break before they go on the A14 so they can clear it then you probably wouldn’t even get on Corley or Northampton or Leicester services (Leicster services is still closing soon isn’t it?). Its one thing for the authorities to admit by placing trailers warning of truck theft that they cannot police it but it becomes even more serious for more of us when they close them off entirely. Ridiculous it is.
Wheel Nut:
If you cant park on the A14, maybe your company will pay for parking now.
Where you gonna pay for a 45 along there when everywhere is full?
as the industral estates of the A14 arent particulary truck friendly double yellows evreywhere . i would suggest you do what a lot of drivers do an plan ahead . no point pushing your self that you end up breaking the rules
good idea that planning ahead id do that but it does not make laby empty when i get there d hoe
not good.
if everywhere closes a few laybys, then its going to get harder for everyone as councils will look to this, and think…what a good idear!
oh well, im glad im not on container work out of felixstow!!!
Mike-C:
Wheel Nut:
If you cant park on the A14, maybe your company will pay for parking now.Where you gonna pay for a 45 along there when everywhere is full?
It wasn’t meant as though closing lay by’s was a good idea.
My point was that his company should be paying to park their own truck unless this driver puts fuel in and pays for his own road tax and insurance from his wages.
Maybe if they cannot afford to pay the parking you could mention it to VOSA
Wheel Nut:
Mike-C:
Wheel Nut:
If you cant park on the A14, maybe your company will pay for parking now.Where you gonna pay for a 45 along there when everywhere is full?
It wasn’t meant as though closing lay by’s was a good idea.
My point was that his company should be paying to park their own truck unless this driver puts fuel in and pays for his own road tax and insurance from his wages.
Maybe if they cannot afford to pay the parking you could mention it to VOSA
I know it’s a sidetrack (possible hijack) but it really gets my goat when firms won’t pay the parking. And allow screen wash as expenses. Petty little things. Especially the bigger type firms. The so called “Blue Chip Companies” 
The way I see it is that (providing they’re trading in the black) they either pay it to me, or they pay it to the Tax Man at the end of the year (and I ca fully understand the “cashflow” argument)
I’m lucky that at the moment I work for a firm that seems to live and work in the “real world” where things aren’t always perfect. For example, I was in the position the other week where I was sweating for derv. (I know - I know) So I put my faith in the onboard computer regards distance left in the tank (I know - I know) and put 30 of your earth pounds in the tank, then filled up on the card shortly afterwards. Put the cash receipt in with my parking expenses. They paid it without question or comment.
iv never been able to get parked on the a14 just to take a brake always end up at services which i prefer. but always full of foreign trucks parked in them some times with there arse ends nearly on the road. i past down that way a few weeks before xmas and there was a polish truck with a bit of his trailer on the road and had his 4 ways flashing and when i past i looked at the cab he had his curtains closed.
I would love to park in services, I’m only really worried about the layby closures because I rely on them as I can’t afford the expense of parking all week out my wages. I feel better in services to be honest and the last thing I want to do at the end of 15hrs is to have to get the stove out and boil a can of something.
It concerns me laying there wondering whether I will be safe at night. It’s not so bad if I can get a truck parked behinnd me.
Next week I’m on trailers so I don’t know what the laybys will be like in a new area as far as crime goes, if I could use services the problem would be solved
Wheel Nut:
Mike-C:
Wheel Nut:
If you cant park on the A14, maybe your company will pay for parking now.Where you gonna pay for a 45 along there when everywhere is full?
It wasn’t meant as though closing lay by’s was a good idea.
My point was that his company should be paying to park their own truck unless this driver puts fuel in and pays for his own road tax and insurance from his wages.
Maybe if they cannot afford to pay the parking you could mention it to VOSA
Well either way, paying for parking is diverting quite a bit off topic. This is not a case of paying for parking. The servcies/truck stops along the A14 route are pretty full at the minute and you could not rely on getting a space in one. If the laybys go that reduces your chances even more. We seem to have complaints latley about drivers taking a 45 on the fuel pumps at services and drivers getting clamped when they park somewhere unsuitable at the services. They may all be connected?
ST3:
iv never been able to get parked on the a14 just to take a brake always end up at services which i prefer. but always full of foreign trucks parked in them some times with there arse ends nearly on the road. i past down that way a few weeks before xmas and there was a polish truck with a bit of his trailer on the road and had his 4 ways flashing and when i past i looked at the cab he had his curtains closed.
If you look atthe amount of thefts from Polish drivers/Polish trucks recently then you’d probably conceed that a services whith your arse end stuck in the middle of no where is a safer bet than anything else.
well lucky enough for me i very rarely park in either as 90% of time the places i pick up from allow me to park up in yard before loading. if iv had to park in either iv always been empty and open rear door to show it. but still iv heard stories its never always the load there after could either be the diesel or the belongings in the cab why i have big bob at hand…bat 
but hopefully will never come accross that situation