Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment her Department has made of the availability of (a) safe, (b) secure and (c) good quality truck parking; and what plans her Department has to reopen the HGV parking and driver welfare grant scheme to new applicants.

The Department for Transport published the National Survey of Lorry Parking on 29th September 2022 which highlighted what improvements to lorry parking facilities were most needed. The survey showed an average shortage of around 4,500 HGV parking spaces for the month of March 2022 and identified driver concerns with the quality of welfare facilities and security of lorry parks.

The Department and industry are significantly investing to upgrade truckstops across England. This is on top of up to £26 million joint investment by National Highways and industry in lorry parking facilities along the strategic roads network.

Drivers are now seeing the improvements that the scheme has been able to support with more in development. The scheme is supporting operators across 30 counties in England to improve driver facilities such as security measures, toilets, showers, refreshment facilities and increasing lorry parking spaces.

A decision on future funding for HGV parking is subject to further departmental business planning.