Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment her Department has made of the the merits of extending the HGV parking and driver welfare grant scheme beyond the current funding period.

This Government understands the significant and damaging impact freight crime can have on businesses and drivers. Through our Safer Streets Mission and wider reforms, we are tackling crime and restoring public confidence in policing and the wider criminal justice system.

Alongside the Home Office Minister of State for Policing and Crime Reduction, I met Rachel Taylor MP, Chair of the APPG for Freight and Logistics on 26 March to discuss the impact of freight crime.

The Home Office continues to work closely with the police and the wider automotive industry to ensure our response to vehicle crime, including freight crime, is as strong as it can be.

The Department for Transport’s HGV parking and driver welfare grant scheme is providing up to £43.5 million of joint investment with industry to upgrade HGV parking and driver welfare facilities across England. This investment has been allocated and is supporting operators across 30 counties in England to improve security, toilets, showers and refreshment facilities and increase lorry parking spaces.

This is on top of up to £26 million joint investment by National Highways and industry in lorry parking facilities, including Motorway Service Areas, along the strategic roads network.

Future funding for financial years beyond 25/26 and its potential targeting towards high freight crime areas is subject to the Spending Review.