Drivers want HGV levy funds spent on truck stops

[fingermissing]

Most drivers want funds raised through the HGV levy to be reinvested into truck stop facilities, according to a survey.

Following the reintroduction of the levy in the summer, a poll carried out by digital marketplace SNAP found drivers are unsure where the money is going.

In addition, 75% of those surveyed said they wanted to see the money spent on lorry parks - from better facilities and higher security measures to more stops available across the UK.

The HGV levy was rolled out again on 1 August with a new emphasis on emissions, weight and time spent in the country.

Rates vary from between £150 to £749 per vehicle, per year.

The department for transport (DfT) said it was aimed at making sure lorries made a contribution reflecting the wear and tear of the road network.

However, SNAP’s survey suggested many are unaware how the money is spent, with 17% calling for it to be used on road improvements.

A further 8% said they wanted funds to be used on drivers’ healthcare.

The figures differ from a report conducted by the RHA, which found its members wanted to see bridge strike signs paid for out of the levy.

In both circumstances, hauliers wanted to know where their money was going and how it would benefit them in the long run.

In September, the government said 39 roadside facility operators would each receive a share of £8m from the DfT and a further £11m from industry to significantly upgrade truck stops for lorry drivers.

The government’s share of the funding came from its HGV Parking and driver welfare grant scheme.

SNAP MD Matthew Bellamy said: “Funding from the HGV parking and driver welfare grant scheme is a welcome addition to the haulage industry and will improve driver welfare - something that needs to be a priority for everyone.

“However, it’s clear that drivers need additional safe and secure places to park. Many truck stops are at maximum capacity early in the evening, resulting in drivers parking in dangerous areas overnight.

As if that’s going to happen

[robroy]

'‘Drivers want HGV levy spent on truckstops’.
I want to retire to St Lucia on full pay.

The first 2 words ‘Drivers want’ closes down the whole point and the whole ■■■■ argument.
Are there still those who do not get it yet?
NOBODY in any position of power gives a flying ■■■■ ‘what drivers want’, that is why the industry is a whole cluster ■■■■ of ‘crapness’.

In a nutshell, end of…next point?

[peirre]

robroy:
'‘Drivers want HGV levy spent on truckstops’.

As you don’t park in truckstops it wouldn’t benefit you if they did, but if Wetherspoons spent money on parking for trucks on their premises, you’d probably never leave site

[robroy]

peirre:

robroy:
'‘Drivers want HGV levy spent on truckstops’.

As you don’t park in truckstops it wouldn’t benefit you if they did, but if Wetherspoons spent money on parking for trucks on their premises, you’d probably never leave site

Good point.
Although it is MSAs I do not park on, I use truckstops regularly.
Especially since it was implied that if fuel ever got nicked, while parking somewhere ‘‘unsafe’’ (that could be anywhere from their pov) as they saw it on the day, we could get billed for it.

So rather than me park as I always did in my own ‘secret’ (and relatively safe) places for ■■■■ years,…free., where everybody was 'happy,…
It now costs them about 100 +quid a week for me to park,.and for about 18 months now…a lot more than a tank of fuel anyway.
A case of complying but beating them with their own stick.

Still love the idea of a ‘Wetherspoons Truckstop’’ though,.especially if weekender …but I would stipulate it had to have Sky Sports.

[msgyorkie]

robroy:

peirre:

robroy:
'‘Drivers want HGV levy spent on truckstops’.

As you don’t park in truckstops it wouldn’t benefit you if they did, but if Wetherspoons spent money on parking for trucks on their premises, you’d probably never leave site

Good point.
Although it is MSAs I do not park on, I use truckstops regularly.
Especially since it was implied that if fuel ever got nicked, while parking somewhere ‘‘unsafe’’ (that could be anywhere from their pov) as they saw it on the day, we could get billed for it.

So rather than me park as I always did in my own ‘secret’ (and relatively safe) places for [zb] years,…free., where everybody was 'happy,…
It now costs them about 100 +quid a week for me to park,.and for about 18 months now…a lot more than a tank of fuel anyway.
A case of complying but beating them with their own stick.

Still love the idea of a ‘Wetherspoons Truckstop’’ though,.especially if weekender …but I would stipulate it had to have Sky Sports.

Its a funny old game.
My company always forced us into MSA or Truckstops. They dont give a toss if diesel is stolen or not but they do give a toss about driver comfort.
They require us to have access to toilets and wash facilities as well as a place to get food. If there is no availabilty in the area or the truckstop is full they will even put us up in a Premier Inn.
I appreciate that some drivers like your quiet spot but surley if your company is happy to pay to park you up for the night with all the facilities on offer then that must be a good thing!

[night-and-day]

msgyorkie:

robroy:

peirre:

robroy:
'‘Drivers want HGV levy spent on truckstops’.

As you don’t park in truckstops it wouldn’t benefit you if they did, but if Wetherspoons spent money on parking for trucks on their premises, you’d probably never leave site

Good point.
Although it is MSAs I do not park on, I use truckstops regularly.
Especially since it was implied that if fuel ever got nicked, while parking somewhere ‘‘unsafe’’ (that could be anywhere from their pov) as they saw it on the day, we could get billed for it.

So rather than me park as I always did in my own ‘secret’ (and relatively safe) places for [zb] years,…free., where everybody was 'happy,…
It now costs them about 100 +quid a week for me to park,.and for about 18 months now…a lot more than a tank of fuel anyway.
A case of complying but beating them with their own stick.

Still love the idea of a ‘Wetherspoons Truckstop’’ though,.especially if weekender …but I would stipulate it had to have Sky Sports.

Its a funny old game.
My company always forced us into MSA or Truckstops. They dont give a toss if diesel is stolen or not but they do give a toss about driver comfort.
They require us to have access to toilets and wash facilities as well as a place to get food. If there is no availabilty in the area or the truckstop is full they will even put us up in a Premier Inn.
I appreciate that some drivers like your quiet spot but surley if your company is happy to pay to park you up for the night with all the facilities on offer then that must be a good thing!

Every company I’ve worked for will pay for parking but I wouldn’t park on a MSA even if it was free and I could pocket the money. The food is garbage and they are too noisy. I’m still fairly young so a toilet stop and shower before I park up does me until morning, a good night sleep and good meal every night instead of a KFC or similar and broken sleep with wagons coming and going all night. Must be a miserable existence sleeping on a MSA every night

[the_maoster]

That ^^^

[paul_c2]

That’s a surprise, SNAP did a survey and it said drivers want more truck stops!!

[quinny]

paul_c2:
That’s a surprise, SNAP did a survey and it said drivers want more truck stops!!

A bit of irony in the SNAP survey.

[quinny]

We do not carry anything of value for our customer, (There are 2 of us on the contract) yet both me and my opposite number each use a truckstop because our boss wants us to have what we have at home. Can’t fault him in that respect. He does not want us parking on industrial estates or the like. He is quite happy for us to pay it and claim it, or use SNAP, he doesn’t mind either way.

Where I park, you are strongly advised to ring and book, which I do, but the argument that most places are full fairly quick, is a strong one, and I often wonder where the levy goes. The grants that the DFT were given out for truckstops, you can bet the MSA’s get/got most of it, and the private sector struggled to get a look in. MSA’s offer little or no value to the haulage industry and I do not know why companies use them. If companies were to scale back the use, I bet the MSA’s would soon sharpen their act up. But as usual in this country, there would be no sticking together to achieve a result.

[robroy]

msgyorkie:

robroy:
Good point.
Although it is MSAs I do not park on, I use truckstops regularly.
Especially since it was implied that if fuel ever got nicked, while parking somewhere ‘‘unsafe’’ (that could be anywhere from their pov) as they saw it on the day, we could get billed for it.

So rather than me park as I always did in my own ‘secret’ (and relatively safe) places for [zb] years,…free., where everybody was 'happy,…
It now costs them about 100 +quid a week for me to park,.and for about 18 months now…a lot more than a tank of fuel anyway.
A case of complying but beating them with their own stick.

Still love the idea of a ‘Wetherspoons Truckstop’’ though,.especially if weekender …but I would stipulate it had to have Sky Sports.

Its a funny old game.
My company always forced us into MSA or Truckstops. They dont give a toss if diesel is stolen or not but they do give a toss about driver comfort.
They require us to have access to toilets and wash facilities as well as a place to get food. If there is no availabilty in the area or the truckstop is full they will even put us up in a Premier Inn.
I appreciate that some drivers like your quiet spot but surley if your company is happy to pay to park you up for the night with all the facilities on offer then that must be a good thing!

I see your point definitely.
But my ‘quiet spots’ were adjacent to town facilities on the whole.
A CHOICE of cafe, pubs,.takeaways and shops,.with usually a Maccy Ds nearby for morning coffee and khazi.

I can count on one hand how many GOOD t/stops there are in UK compared to in Euro, in terms of food quality, or a decent bar or whatever.
And then if there actually is a bar, there is also the brain numbing drivercrap you have to listen to,… from the obligatory loud gob ■■■■■ at the bar, when he gets an audience.
So I do prefer my own places given the choice.

Great if you arrange to meet a mate at a T.stop, but I prefer the company of town locals, or even my own,.than I do of most (srereotype) drivers of today if I’m honest.
I have a very low to zero tolerance of d/heads these days unfortunately .

[robroy]

the maoster:
That

+1.
(Night and Days post btw…I ain’t agreeing with myself. )

[peirre]

robroy:
Still love the idea of a ‘Wetherspoons Truckstop’’ though,.especially if weekender …but I would stipulate it had to have Sky Sports.

Probably the closest thing to a Wetherspoons style truckstop is the Stockyard, with its food, drink and entertainment options most nights. They even have a few cougars for those that are desperate enough to risk it

[eagerbeaver]

What amazes me is the fact that people will sleep in a lorry all night for twenty odd quid

The rates not changed for 20 years. With inflation factored in, it’s a little pathetic really.

[peterm]

Excuse me for being out of touch. Most of you will know that I’ve lived in Oz since '74, but if there’s a levy for damage to roads caused by HGV’s, how much would it cost the government if there were no HGV’s? These muppets want their cake and eat it!

[lancpudn]

peterm:
Excuse me for being out of touch. Most of you will know that I’ve lived in Oz since '74, but if there’s a levy for damage to roads caused by HGV’s, how much would it cost the government if there were no HGV’s? These muppets want their cake and eat it!

The muppets in suits want as much road freight back on the railways with smart pricing from the HGV Levy. “Through smart pricing and incentives, there’s an opportunity to encourage freight transportation to utilise rail infrastructure, reducing road congestion, emissions, and road damage.”

“The updated HGV levy can play a role in this vision, fostering a more sustainable and efficient freight transportation network for the future. But how should transport leaders in government do this? The answer lays in identifying regions where the rail infrastructure has the capacity and connectivity within a freight corridor and utilising smart pricing to incentivise logistics organisations to use the rail network.” i.e if you’re transporting goods by road freight in a area where there is a good rail network then the levy for that journey will cost much more. transport-network.co.uk/Tra … hift/19177

[franglais]

lancpudn:

peterm:
Excuse me for being out of touch. Most of you will know that I’ve lived in Oz since '74, but if there’s a levy for damage to roads caused by HGV’s, how much would it cost the government if there were no HGV’s? These muppets want their cake and eat it!

The muppets in suits want as much road freight back on the railways with smart pricing from the HGV Levy. “Through smart pricing and incentives, there’s an opportunity to encourage freight transportation to utilise rail infrastructure, reducing road congestion, emissions, and road damage.”

“The updated HGV levy can play a role in this vision, fostering a more sustainable and efficient freight transportation network for the future. But how should transport leaders in government do this? The answer lays in identifying regions where the rail infrastructure has the capacity and connectivity within a freight corridor and utilising smart pricing to incentivise logistics organisations to use the rail network.” i.e if you’re transporting goods by road freight in a area where there is a good rail network then the levy for that journey will cost much more. transport-network.co.uk/Tra … hift/19177

Muppets?
You`re being very complimentary towards them.

Although the media made much fuss about reducing trip times by only a little, a main point of HS2 was to put passenger trains on the new lines enabling more freight on the older lines.

Joined up thinking? Forward planning?

[zac_a]

peterm:
Excuse me for being out of touch. Most of you will know that I’ve lived in Oz since '74, but if there’s a levy for damage to roads caused by HGV’s, how much would it cost the government if there were no HGV’s? These muppets want their cake and eat it!

You’re not out of touch, most people in the UK, including many in the industry, had never heard about the HGV levy until there was talk about its reinstatment. It’s really about overseas vehicles, for UK vehicles it’s already wrapped up in VED (road tax) so passes unnoticed.

[peterm]

I see now. Put everything on the railways and let people carry their stuff home. Might be a bit awkward for 20 ton of bricks or a container load of food, drinks and other household goods, but I can now see the huge benefits that can be had. I’d think it’d be a windfall for the footwear industry, too. Imagine how many boots and shoes would get
worn out. Oh hang on. You’d have to go to somewhere like Daventry to pick 'em up. The government can sort that out for you.

[happy_trucker1]

peirre:

robroy:
Still love the idea of a ‘Wetherspoons Truckstop’’ though,.especially if weekender …but I would stipulate it had to have Sky Sports.

Probably the closest thing to a Wetherspoons style truckstop is the Stockyard, with its food, drink and entertainment options most nights. They even have a few cougars for those that are desperate enough to risk it

Stockyard - one of the better truck stops , but usually full by 7pm latest
The food & the bar are pretty good , but was there a few weeks ago and the queue to have a shower was about 45 mins , only 3 khazis for approx 150 hairy arsed truck drivers and that goes down to one when the main building closes , not knocking it at I have said it’s one of the better ones but still has its flaws