Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment she has made of the potential risks to supply chains of inadequate roadside facilities for lorry drivers.

The Department for Transport has not carried out an assessment of the potential risks to supply chains of inadequate roadside facilities.

The National Survey of Lorry Parking was last conducted in 2022 and provided the evidence base for the HGV Parking Matched Funding Grant Scheme which will provide up to £37.5 million investment from government and industry in 30 counties across England. This is on top of up to £30M investment in lorry parking by National Highways and industry in lorry parks along the strategic road network in England.

A new National Survey of Lorry Parking is underway, which will provide a fresh baseline on the availability of secure lorry parking and HGV driver welfare provision throughout England. The Survey is scheduled to be published in the autumn.

To strengthen the UK’s supply chain security, the Government is launching a new Supply Chain Centre based in the Department for Business and Trade. This marks a change in government’s approach to protecting the UK’s economy and security in turbulent geopolitical times. It will take a more assertive, strategic and data-led approach, and lead a targeted programme of work to ensure the UK can access the goods it needs to thrive in a rapidly changing world.