Really? It only reads 2428 as far as I can see!
We need more! We’ll be kicking the campaign up another notch with some more PR early next week, so get your friends and colleagues to sign-up!
eagerbeaver:
Dear Government. Can we please have some more land to park our trucks on please? Yours, A Driver.Dear A Driver. Thankyou for your request. Unfortunately some of you are disgusting filthy pigs who crap in newspaper and leave it in lay-by’s. Some of you also throw bottles of ■■■■ everywhere. There are also many of you who throw rubbish everywhere. Some of you also ruin grassed areas.
So no…F**k off. Yours, The Government.
So glad i dont drive in the UK anymore. Great facilities sometimes even washing machines and dryers, good showers, clean toilets and always brilliant food plus superb un pot holed tarmac/ concrete parking areas in europe. No bottles of ■■■■ or carrier bags of ■■■■ laying about, i dont envy UK drivers one bit.
The problem is as eagerbeaver points out is the uk govt has the disgusting pig image of drivers and i seriously doubt any amount of petitioning is ever going to change things…
Signed its on 2515
Signed 2516
AndrewG:
So glad i dont drive in the UK anymore. Great facilities sometimes even washing machines and dryers, good showers, clean toilets and always brilliant food plus superb un pot holed tarmac/ concrete parking areas in europe. No bottles of ■■■■ or carrier bags of [zb] laying about, i dont envy UK drivers one bit.
The problem is as eagerbeaver points out is the uk govt has the disgusting pig image of drivers and i seriously doubt any amount of petitioning is ever going to change things…
I think part of the problem, as summed up in this post, seems to be that many drivers seem willing to accept the image that most complain about. I hope that the people who are aware of what I do (I can’t mention it here) will confirm that there are some people who are trying to improve that image, and are working hard at that objective. So many drivers are down on themselves, and yet I meet many who are extremely competent, thoughtful people who deserve a far better opinion from the great British public!
Most drivers do not throw litter and ■■■■ bottles out of the window Chris. But when you have TV programmes like The secret life of motorways etc showing council workers picking up ■■■■ bottles off hard shoulders (cough…easier to drop on there out of LHD’s), and millions of viewers seeing it, it stays in peoples minds.
Like everything, a few spoil it for the rest. But I would dispute your point that many drivers are down on themselves, we just simply cannot do anything about the pricks that sully our image to the public.
Realism is not defeatism.
eagerbeaver:
we just simply cannot do anything about the pricks that sully our image to the public.Realism is not defeatism.
No, Mr Beaver - the first line here is a definition of of defeat. The difference is that some people at least try, rather than constantly offering reasons why they shouldn’t bother.
The Petition certainly won’t make any changes, as I’ve agreed before. But just the fact of having one, which gets signed by hopefully enough people over the next few months to make people notice it, is a step towards a simple objective.
I’m delighted to say that in the couple of weeks its been promoted here and elsewhere, the petition has had well over 1000 new signatures - well done, drivers, just another 7,500 to go for a response from government, according to the theory.
However, I don’t think we can sit back and relax. So I’ll be starting work on a new T------g TV report, ideally interviewing drivers who have to overnight in laybys and aren’t happy about it, for security, personal safety, or whatever other reason. I’d really like to hear from drivers who have suffered bad experiences, too.
If you’d be willing to be involved in pushing this campaign onwards, please send me a message!
Chris, can you do a bit of research about what was said when the foreign lorry levy was introduced as I believe that it was stated some of the money raised would be used to improve facilities. It would be interesting to know if this will happen after all it has raised a lot more money than initially predicted, if this money is used to improve facilities then any new ones are effectively free to the British taxpayers as they will have been paid for by foreign hauliers.
Before anyone points out I know that UK hauliers pay it too but your road tax was reduced to make no difference to your yearly running costs, hence the reason why the EU wants it scrapped.
Done.
Robroy mentioned the old school lorry parks in towns…let’s just pretend they still existed. More than likely, they would be crime hotspots, full of litter, battered and mostly filled with flip flops on extended rest periods having barbecues.
The locals just don’t want it and who blames them. May as well have the gypsies in.
Has the OP read this thread ? viewtopic.php?f=2&t=142825
Tuesday 2nd November also from RHA who were at the meeting
“Key meeting on lorry parking
Lorry parks must be seen as the solution to lorry intrusion related to where they park, not as a problem, the RHA told roads minister John Hayes at key a round table discussion today. They also allow the driver a proper rest and are good for road safety.
Any large industrial development should to be required to include facilities for HGVs and their drivers, and security should be included in DfT guidance to local authorities, with incentives for security improvements.
The RHA has been pressing the Department for Transport And Highways England to take responsibility for parking provision and led discussion on facilities for drivers, security and pricing.
The RHA is pro-actively working with campaign group Truckers Toilets UK.”
The bit in bold is entertaining why don’t the haulage and logistics industry take some responsibility for parking provision ■■
helenwhately.org.uk/news/vi … ly-parking
hansard.parliament.uk/commons/2 … arkingKent
Yes, Speedyguy, I am - but I do have something of a problem with some of the language . .
For instance, when I see the word “politician”, I tend to read “liar”, and when I read the word “Minister” I tend to read “procrastinator” . .
The fact of the matter is that politicians like MPs tend to say anything that they think will get them re-elected, while Ministers in this and our most recent government like to put off til tomorrow, and then put off until another day. The reality, despite some comments on here to the contrary, is that public pressure, and publicity of any kind, works better than believing that the nice man (or woman) in the sharp suit will do anything to help you unless painted into a corner.
mazzer:
Chris, can you do a bit of research about what was said when the foreign lorry levy was introduced as I believe that it was stated some of the money raised would be used to improve facilities. It would be interesting to know if this will happen after all it has raised a lot more money than initially predicted, if this money is used to improve facilities then any new ones are effectively free to the British taxpayers as they will have been paid for by foreign hauliers.
Before anyone points out I know that UK hauliers pay it too but your road tax was reduced to make no difference to your yearly running costs, hence the reason why the EU wants it scrapped.
Hi, Mazzer - I’ll have a look sometime next week, if I have time . . . running the increasingly famous T------g TV, and its couple of ongoing campaigns to improve truckers lots and reputation are really quite demanding! Got a nice mention on the Jeremy Vine show on R2 today . . , lol!
ChrisG46:
Yes, Speedyguy, I am - but I do have something of a problem with some of the language . .For instance, when I see the word “politician”, I tend to read “liar”, and when I read the word “Minister” I tend to read “procrastinator” . .
I agree
mazzer:
Chris, can you do a bit of research about what was said when the foreign lorry levy was introduced as I believe that it was stated some of the money raised would be used to improve facilities.
It wasn’t and a quick call to DfT can confirm that.
ChrisG46:
Hi, Mazzer - I’ll have a look sometime next week, if I have time . .
gov.uk/government/collectio … -user-levy
article:
The aim of the levy is to ensure these vehicles make a contribution to the wear and tear of the road network
speedyguy:
hansard.parliament.uk/commons/2 … arkingKent
There is a very good point made by one of the MP’s here…
…the developers that might be interested in building truck stops often say, “In all reality, it is often 10 years before the idea of truck stop produces a truck stop. We can’t be bothered with it."
What we need, with government cooperation, is numerous truck parking facilities directly off main routes (ie. easy access from a slip road) so we don’t have the hopeless task of trying to appease local residents.
For example, just near Rugby on the M6 there are those stubs where a slip road was once meant to be built with acres of land to the side. With the help of a government compulsory purchase order, an enormous truck parking facility could be built just off both sides of the carriageway in a key location on the network. Take away the hassle & developers with jump at the chance to build truck parks because it’'s a potential goldmine.
rob22888:
For example, just near Rugby on the M6 there are those stubs where a slip road was once meant to be built with acres of land to the side. With the help of a government compulsory purchase order, an enormous truck parking facility could be built just off both sides of the carriageway in a key location on the network. Take away the hassle & developers with jump at the chance to build truck parks because it’'s a potential goldmine.
this
motorwayservicesonline.co.uk/Harborough_Magna
also
motorwayservicesonline.co.uk/Rugby
Done
Done, twice.
Sent from my D5803 using Tapatalk
I agree with the posts so far, and the op has to be applauded for his efforts…clap…clap, clap. 
I often see the slip road at the side of the A2 choc a bloc with east european hauliers, the police now have the desire to ticket these vehicles…shame on them…when you drive from the ferry onto the A20, then onto the M20, there are few places to park…the same applies to the A2 and M2 where there is only 1 services…where the F are drivers supposed to park…There was a consultation about a very large truck park in kent, brought upon because truck drivers Dare to park on the M20 Southbound when the feries are on strike, sorry, the French workers are on strike…so after the consultation, sites were thought upon…but on the local news recently…the locals were aghast that one should be put close to where they live…shame on them too…nobody wants a truck park in their back yard…but if the government/highways agency thought about it, access could and should be built directly from the M20…now that would make sense…but wont solve the problems around the country. For that, i would like to see Laybys in between the services, like in France…where NO small vans or cars are allowed, ( fuel thieves, dodgy dealings ) with cameras, toilets and water access.
signed