It’s now 14 months of tramping I’ve done - some enjoyed and some not so.
One thing I do not understand is why some firms will have a notice ‘no overnight parking’ for their premises. They are part of the haulage business and when they have adequate space to allow a truck to park over night ready for loading/unloading in the early morning. Why not?
With this notice one has to go elsewhere sometimes as far as 5 mile, and then 5 mile to return. Some employers insist on parking at a service station with the fee of £30-£40 for security - LOL few are secure indeed the only time I have had curtains cut is at a service station. I’d think to allow folk to park where there is space and behind security barrier is just plain common sense.
I was at Fradley Park (Lancaster Road or Common Lane can’t remember now) recently and talking to a Police Officer as they had put cones all the way down a road to stop parking. The new housing estate residents had complained at trucks parking down the road. I made the point that if one can’t park in the road where should one go for a local firm expecting loading/unloading the next day. The response was why can’t the firm provide parking overnight rather than trucks parking up on the road.
There must be a reason that I don’t know about. As the covid pandemic has proved - everyone expects trucks to deliver BUT they have to park somewhere!
I guess it is the local council to blame when they build new warehouses or transport hubs/RDC and NDC ‘s , with planning permission law they do not factor in truck parking, but I think in the future, they will have to accommodate lorry parking in the construction of new sites .
In Europe, drivers can sleep in peace and security inside premises and are allowed use of the shower and canteen .
The problem is drivers give themselves a bad reputation by doing number two’s and urinating anywhere but the loo provided, so the bad apples spoil it for the good apples and don’t forget Truckers Tizer bottles thrown everywhere.
Where I used to work there was a huge yard that could have accommodated many drivers needing to park overnight in order to tip on those premises the next day, but the guy in charge of that part of the business would only let certain companies vehicles park there, any driver who took it upon his self to assume the spaces were free to use would be very quickly moved on by security. No reasons were ever given, just a blunt “you’re not allowed to park here”. Their yard, their rules.
Having said that, it can’t be denied that some drivers don’t do their selves any favours with their general behaviour.