Has been a bad week for me guys and gals.
Sunday night, (and all day while I was out at Oulton Park) the lorry sat fine and untroubled at Lymm.
Monday night we slept peacefully at Monmouth Services.
Wednesday night I parked at my dad’s work in Luton so both free and secure!
Tuesday and Thursday were the problems.
Tuesday was Chorley Services and as is the usual way, just after I parked up nicely between two curtain siders, one of them left and was replaced by an EE with a running fridge. The joys of MSA parking.
Woke up the next day to find the Renault had an AEBS warning light but no other warnings on the dash. No ABS warning, no sensor blocked warning, just the AEBS light. Did my walk around checks, cleaned the radar sensor just in case and set off. The light didn’t clear but it was pulling and braking fine so I called the dealer to let them know I had a light on but no symptoms and could they check it out on inspection this weekend.
Thursday night I was at Newport Pagnell as I had domestic appliances on the back and figured the insurance company would be happier if it looked like I’d tried to park secure rather than just dumping it on an MK industrial estate for the night if something went pete. Woke up to three half moons in the side of a brand new trailer.
Later on Friday while fault finding a tail lift that felt a little down and wouldn’t get up, I finally climbed up on the catwalk, where I found the cause of the AEBS problem. Some monumentally oversized sphincter had accessed my catwalk in the night on Tuesday and stolen my EBS suzie.
Of course find this out three days after the fact meant I couldn’t report it at the time but I reported the half moons to Thames Valley Police and to a chap introduced to me as ‘The Big Boss’ of Welcome Break. Mr Big Boss asked what I expected him to do and really didn’t like it when I said that Pagnell North has 100 marked truck bays at £27.00 a night. Perhaps he should take his duty of care to his customers and their property seriously and spend some of that £16,200 (assuming 50% occupancy on weekends) a week on a bloody security guard. Apparently its not his problem.
So, what I am looking for from you is stories like mine. Stops at welcome break sites which have resulted in damage, theft, intimidation, abuse (Not the abusive quality of the hot wings at KFC at the moment,) so I can build up a list of incidents. Once I have this trove of evidence, (photos would be nice too if you can,) I can start working to pressure Welcome Break to change their ways while highlighting the risks of Welcome Break parking with the FTA, RHA, TA, Commercial Motor, Trucking, T&D, TSN etc.
I know this may seem a bit OTT but I’ve snapped. Since Christmas I’ve spent over £4k on damage and vandalism which wasn’t my fault, with no-one willing to even talk to me, let alone negotiating a share of the cost. I’ve had enough. If I can’t get sympathy from Welcome Break, let alone my money back, I’ll do all I can to hit back in any way I can. I’m ready for war!
If you do have any information to share and don’t want to put it in public forum, I’ve set up a dedicated email account you can sent it to: unwelcomebreak@ninefiftysix.co.uk.