This accident, shows how inadequate our truck facilities are. This event happened 500 yards fom a truckstop, yet people still refuse to pay, and park in lay-bys.
For those unaware of this area. There are 2 lay-bys on the exit/entry to a roundabout. It is a very fast s/c approaching from one direction, and small d/c coming the other.
Both sides of the s/c are laybys usually packed with trucks. Dark as ■■■■ and really iffy. Only a matter of time before this happened. Very sad. 
bigvern1:
This accident, shows how inadequate our truck facilities are. This event happened 500 yards fom a truckstop, yet people still refuse to pay, and park in lay-bys.
For those unaware of this area. There are 2 lay-bys on the exit/entry to a roundabout. It is a very fast s/c approaching from one direction, and small d/c coming the other.Both sides of the s/c are laybys usually packed with trucks. Dark as [zb] and really iffy. Only a matter of time before this happened. Very sad.
The reason drivers (myself included, I admit) do this i.e. park in laybys, is the money in this so called “profession” is a joke, I was lucky last night, I was parked in ESL’s yard around the corner, and I saw the closure & accident this morning… 
I’m lucky (well until I’m redundant in a week!) I do get parking paid for me, but, if moneys tight & I need either money in my bank for a household bill or for parking, well, I’m in a layby unfortunately.
Until the pay improves, drivers such as myself will continue to be forced to do this to make every penny count.
Whilst I don’t have anything other than agency work planned for the future, I am termpted to literally throw my card in the bin & find a “proper” job.
R.I.P. to the driver, another example of the dangers in this job, why we do it, I honestly don’t know.
TruckingHell:
The reason drivers (myself included, I admit) do this i.e. park in laybys, is the money in this so called “profession” is a joke,
I do get parking paid for me, but, if moneys tight & I need either money in my bank for a household bill or for parking, well, I’m in a layby unfortunately.
Until the pay improves, drivers such as myself will continue to be forced to do this to make every penny count.
R.I.P. to the driver, another example of the dangers in this job, why we do it, I honestly don’t know.
You make some good points mate, all of which are a large part of the problem.
bigvern1:
This accident, shows how inadequate our truck facilities are. This event happened 500 yards fom a truckstop, yet people still refuse to pay, and park in lay-bys.
For those unaware of this area. There are 2 lay-bys on the exit/entry to a roundabout. It is a very fast s/c approaching from one direction, and small d/c coming the other.Both sides of the s/c are laybys usually packed with trucks. Dark as [zb] and really iffy. Only a matter of time before this happened. Very sad.
And on many nights at the moment it carries a lot of extra traffic when the M6 to M1 southbound junction is closed because of the alterations being made to it.
Coffeeholic:
bigvern1:
This accident, shows how inadequate our truck facilities are. This event happened 500 yards fom a truckstop, yet people still refuse to pay, and park in lay-bys.
For those unaware of this area. There are 2 lay-bys on the exit/entry to a roundabout. It is a very fast s/c approaching from one direction, and small d/c coming the other.Both sides of the s/c are laybys usually packed with trucks. Dark as [zb] and really iffy. Only a matter of time before this happened. Very sad.
And on many nights at the moment it carries a lot of extra traffic when the M6 to M1 southbound junction is closed because of the alterations being made to it.
I saw something about it on East Midlands Today. They are demolishing one of the bridges (which was being supported with temporary props) and they’ve got to nibble it away little by little over the weekend so there are a lot of closures at the moment.
In the long run though, I think it was overdue time they did something about that junction as I have witnessed far too many accidents there on the A14 where motorists didn’t expect the queue to go so far back and on the M6 where idiots wait in the middle lane trying to force their way in I’ve seen some particularly nasty truck accidents.
Red Squirrel:
Coffeeholic:
bigvern1:
This accident, shows how inadequate our truck facilities are. This event happened 500 yards fom a truckstop, yet people still refuse to pay, and park in lay-bys.
For those unaware of this area. There are 2 lay-bys on the exit/entry to a roundabout. It is a very fast s/c approaching from one direction, and small d/c coming the other.Both sides of the s/c are laybys usually packed with trucks. Dark as [zb] and really iffy. Only a matter of time before this happened. Very sad.
And on many nights at the moment it carries a lot of extra traffic when the M6 to M1 southbound junction is closed because of the alterations being made to it.
I saw something about it on East Midlands Today. They are demolishing one of the bridges (which was being supported with temporary props) and they’ve got to nibble it away little by little over the weekend so there are a lot of closures at the moment.
Yep, we have to divert tonight and it will be closed tomorrow and Sunday. Some weeks recently it has been closed every night.
Coffeeholic:
Red Squirrel:
Coffeeholic:
bigvern1:
This accident, shows how inadequate our truck facilities are. This event happened 500 yards fom a truckstop, yet people still refuse to pay, and park in lay-bys.
For those unaware of this area. There are 2 lay-bys on the exit/entry to a roundabout. It is a very fast s/c approaching from one direction, and small d/c coming the other.Both sides of the s/c are laybys usually packed with trucks. Dark as [zb] and really iffy. Only a matter of time before this happened. Very sad.
And on many nights at the moment it carries a lot of extra traffic when the M6 to M1 southbound junction is closed because of the alterations being made to it.
I saw something about it on East Midlands Today. They are demolishing one of the bridges (which was being supported with temporary props) and they’ve got to nibble it away little by little over the weekend so there are a lot of closures at the moment.
Yep, we have to divert tonight and it will be closed tomorrow and Sunday. Some weeks recently it has been closed every night.
A bit of a ■■■■■■■ if you’re coming from the A14 because there aren’t too many ways around it. My favourte is to go north on the A5199 and join the westbound A4304 at Husbands Bosworth which brings you out at junction 20. It aint a great road but it’s not impassable by any means. I use that way in my car to save time waiting in queues sometimes.
Hexenhammer:
Evening Ladies and Gents, I learned this afternoon,that it was one of our drivers. At this moment in time I,and all the other drivers have been left devestated. Luke had driven for N R Evans for 18 years and was a cool,laid back and funny guy. He was married with 2 teenage children. Luke will be sorely missed.
At this moment in time,we have no idea how/why it happened,police are still carrying out their investigation. I only hope that the driver whose vehicle was hit is alright.RIP Luke.You were a good friend.
Rest in peace Drive.
bigvern1:
This accident, shows how inadequate our truck facilities are. This event happened 500 yards fom a truckstop, yet people still refuse to pay, and park in lay-bys.
For those unaware of this area. There are 2 lay-bys on the exit/entry to a roundabout. It is a very fast s/c approaching from one direction, and small d/c coming the other.Both sides of the s/c are laybys usually packed with trucks. Dark as [zb] and really iffy. Only a matter of time before this happened. Very sad.
This may be a first, agreeing with Vernon
500 yards from a “large” truckstop because the bosses will not pay for parking, they will not pay for training, they will not pay for tachograph cards. They want the driver to pay for everything from the minimum wage.
Although I don’t know whose truck was hit, a large haulage company not a million miles away from the place, expect or condone their own drivers to park in unlit laybys at Lockerbie, Penrith, Bridgewater, Goole and Osset. Many other places could be mentioned.
Sympathy to the Evans driver.
Drivers should not have to pay for these ““Safe”” parking areas, even if they get the money back the next day. You want to run lorries, you pay to house them, fuel them, maintain them and route them properly!
I totally agree Malc…Why do they expect us to pay? I don’t have ANY spare cash, even when full time. So the luxury of paying up front to be reimbursed a month later, is out of my range.
I paid 7 euro to park at an Autohof last year. I’m still waiting for that back!
Like you say, pay up front or no deal. 
I have worked for firms, outside of this industry, and it has always been practice that if you have to spend money on their behalf you can get an “advance of salary”. You then submit your receipts and any change when job completed. Surely it is not beyond the capabilities of transport companies to follow this. If not then have credit cards, if drivers abuse them then take it out of their wages.
If drivers are having to pay up front then they are effectively giving their employer interest-free loans for a month or even more.
If you have to pay for something in an emergency then you should be reimbursed at the earliest opportunity, however, overnight parking is not normally defined as an unforseen event.
We all paid for our parking and expenses and were reimbursed the following week. When it was pointed out that we were sometimes £100 short in our own accounts every week they gave us all a float of £100 so that we weren’t standing out our own money. We still have drivers who will park in laybys and refuse to pay for parking even though we are literally using the firms money. Weird!
waddy640:
I have worked for firms, outside of this industry, and it has always been practice that if you have to spend money on their behalf you can get an “advance of salary”. You then submit your receipts and any change when job completed. Surely it is not beyond the capabilities of transport companies to follow this. If not then have credit cards, if drivers abuse them then take it out of their wages.
If drivers are having to pay up front then they are effectively giving their employer interest-free loans for a month or even more.
If you have to pay for something in an emergency then you should be reimbursed at the earliest opportunity, however, overnight parking is not normally defined as an unforseen event.
That would work in theory, but even if firms were willing to outlay large sums in advance for parking (max works out at say £15x5=£75per driver) they would soon see their costs increase, as ALL drivers would quite rightly park in areas where you have to pay, where as maybe only half would if they were paying themselves, and if most firms are like mine who don,t even like paying us wages 
let alone advanced cash, I can,t see it happening, a few good firms maybe.
waddy640:
I have worked for firms, outside of this industry, and it has always been practice that if you have to spend money on their behalf you can get an “advance of salary”. You then submit your receipts and any change when job completed. Surely it is not beyond the capabilities of transport companies to follow this. If not then have credit cards, if drivers abuse them then take it out of their wages.If drivers are having to pay up front then they are effectively giving their employer interest-free loans for a month or even more.
If you have to pay for something in an emergency then you should be reimbursed at the earliest opportunity, however, overnight parking is not normally defined as an unforseen event.
Part of the problem is drivers who in the past have paid for parking, when it was less than a fiver or a quid into the local cattle market machine, another part is the cafes offering meal vouchers, companies cotton on and refuse to subsidise the drivers meals.
The IR have agreed reasonable night out money nationwide,
31 December 2011 £32.20 reduced by 25% for a sleeper cab.
it used to be up to the local tax office to negotiate. That money is there to give the driver: evening meal and breakfast
washing facilities
upkeep of bedding in the cab.
Truckstops and Motorway services are taking the ■■■■ by charging up to £22 for a parking place with threats of £80 clampings and more in exchange for a single mediochre meal
R.I.P to Luke the N R Evans driver.
Al
Rest in Peace Luke: All the NR Evans lads Carnforth.
RIP Luke. Sincere Condolences to all Evans’ drivers. So soon into the new year for any accident…
shade:
Not necessarily gypsies mate. Rugby has it’s fair share of scumbags too. I lived there a few years ago…Can be bad, just like anywhere else in this poxy.country. R.I.P. Driver.
+1
you would be suprised that a lot of diesel thefts are not being carried out by gypsies theses days especially
its never nice to read of things like this and there are some very good points made by others on here about firms not paying up front for parking or the fact that there is not enough safe parking around when i see people parked up on the a1 i think they must be mad to park there for the night 
rip drive
Neil Evans sums it up perfectly commercialmotor.com/latest-n … um=twitter