Seen a few links on Facebook of Kent Police fining and moving lorry’s on that park for breaks on the hard shoulder.
About time it’s a real danger.
Excellent post , A++++++ 10/10 will read again.
So you think its better for a tired driver who is probably a bigger danger, to carry on and to look for parking that isn’t there?
If he’s tired - he shouldn’t be on the road to start with. 
How many times do we see continental drivers parking behind those stone walls under bridges with impunity? - VOSA driving on by, none of them apparently even being “moved on” - let alone fined…?
Kent should dig up some green belt to make room for all these extra folk that we would have preferred not to have here at all, but since calls for such an approach have always fallen upon deaf ears (since Kent still votes Conservatives into power) - It’s time we seriously upset the NIMBYs by building truck parks all around Kent’s main roads.
I say this as someone who lives in Kent, and fed up with having an MP who has NEVER represented the transport industry - let alone working kent folk. 
weeto:
So you think its better for a tired driver who is probably a bigger danger, to carry on and to look for parking that isn’t there?
Winseer:
If he’s tired - he shouldn’t be on the road to start with.
But they not driving they parked, just in the wrong place.
Winseer:
How many times do we see continental drivers parking behind those stone walls under bridges with impunity? - VOSA driving on by, none of them apparently even being “moved on” - let alone fined…?
It’s been going on for far to long and this has caused the problem to increase, and it seems that in these days of austerity not only don’t the Police patrol our motorways, they just respond to incidents the HATO are doing the same.
probably some of the drivers have seen so many others parked on the hard shoulder they probably thought it was legal.
Winseer:
Kent should dig up some green belt to make room for all these extra folk that we would have preferred not to have here at all, but since calls for such an approach have always fallen upon deaf ears (since Kent still votes Conservatives into power) - It’s time we seriously upset the NIMBYs by building truck parks all around Kent’s main roads.I say this as someone who lives in Kent, and fed up with having an MP who has NEVER represented the transport industry - let alone working kent folk.
Yep as posted in another thread on this, The government has started it’s consultation on the new truck park to deal with operation stack and the locals, who all probably complained about Operation Stack have complained about the proposed truck park.
Of course Kent Police, who’ve known about this problem for ages, seem to have only started doing something about it, this since somebody was killed when they drove into a parked truck.
Say what you will, but there just aren’t enough parking spaces out there for drivers to pull up and take their legally required breaks.
Whilst you shouldn’t be parking up illegally, by the same token you are legally obliged to stop when you run out of hours, so you’re damned if you do and damned if you don’t.
Just glad I haven’t driven for one of these companies where it flags up an on screen alert if you deviate more than a half mile from your designated route. Would rather find a layby (or ind est) for my breaks than an overcrowded MSA any day.
LIBERTY_GUY:
Say what you will, but there just aren’t enough parking spaces out there for drivers to pull up and take their legally required breaks.
Whilst you shouldn’t be parking up illegally, by the same token you are legally obliged to stop when you run out of hours, so you’re damned if you do and damned if you don’t…
Agree, there aren’t enough, but what really boils my wee is the foreign truck that park up for days on end, waiting for a call for there next job. You can see them on the A20 between Maidstone and Ashford in whatever space that they can find, they used to park up in all sorts of places in Sellinge till the local council put a stop to it. If it’s free they’ll use it.
pierrot 14:
If it’s free they’ll use it.
Don’t blame them to be honest. Doesn’t mean it’s right but live and let live 
If it personally affected me I may object, if it’s not putting ANYONE at risk - just crack on and keep your beak out
dri-diddly-iver:
pierrot 14:
If it’s free they’ll use it.Don’t blame them to be honest. Doesn’t mean it’s right but live and let live
The problem is around the South East and Kent in particular, there isn’t enough parking paid for or free for all the trucks that use the area. this is probably not help by the situation in Calais where drivers are more likely to push on to the UK instead of wait.
One Friday night last year I tried to park up somewhere on the M20 on my way to Germany, both Ashford and Folkestone were full (as were any laybys nearby, and they closed the gates and were turning trucks away. I headed to the tunnel and managed to sneak into the services on the way out of the terminal at Calais. But I’m sure the other trucks, mostly East European, ended up looking for any bit of land to park on however unsuitable.
This situation won’t improve while the people of Kent keep blocking attempts to build truck parks.
dri-diddly-iver:
pierrot 14:
If it’s free they’ll use it.Don’t blame them to be honest. Doesn’t mean it’s right but live and let live
You don’t blame them, well I’m sure you would if you opened you curtains in the morning to find 2, 3, 4 fridge lorries parked up on the A20, just outside your house.
But hey crack on and I’m sure you would definitely put “your Beak” in !!!
pierrot 14:
You don’t blame them, well I’m sure you would if you opened you curtains in the morning to find 2, 3, 4 fridge lorries parked up on the A20, just outside your house.But hey crack on and I’m sure you would definitely put “your Beak” in !!!
dri-diddly-iver:
If it personally affected me I may object, if it’s not putting ANYONE at risk - just crack on and keep your beak out
I don’t live there, I’ll NEVER live there it doesn’t affect me nor ever will!! My ‘beak’ only gave an opinion of my view and circumstances. I have been stranded in bad/good weather over the years in various parts of the country and WILL park at the first opportunity when necessary.
I never leave a mess, I don’t leave engine running - in fact the only reason you will know I’ve been there is a small pool of water where I have washed and brushed teeth before leaving!
Winseer:
If he’s tired - he shouldn’t be on the road to start with.How many times do we see continental drivers parking behind those stone walls under bridges with impunity? - VOSA driving on by, none of them apparently even being “moved on” - let alone fined…?
Kent should dig up some green belt to make room for all these extra folk that we would have preferred not to have here at all, but since calls for such an approach have always fallen upon deaf ears (since Kent still votes Conservatives into power) - It’s time we seriously upset the NIMBYs by building truck parks all around Kent’s main roads.
I say this as someone who lives in Kent, and fed up with having an MP who has NEVER represented the transport industry - let alone working kent folk.
Easier said than done . .Today on my regular run started off feeling G8 as always but hour half into my journey started to feel tired windows down heater on cold and getting seriously tired but no lay byes on the A55 when you need one…eventually the first one I came upon was free so had a 15min sleep after that wide awake.
kr79:
Seen a few links on Facebook of Kent Police fining and moving lorry’s on that park for breaks on the hard shoulder.
About time it’s a real danger.
There’s the ‘real’ newspaper
kentonline.co.uk/ashford/new … ped-48002/
Arent we missing something here ? Is it not the "Drivers " responsibility to manage their time accordingly :question: Those who push on and do 4hrs-28 mins then expect somewhere to park in the next 2mins are the worst offenders . . The Industry does not help itself in any way shape or form. Drivers willing to push on and flaunt the laws haphazardly, haulage firms and planners making too tight a schedule not allowing for disruption or drivers breaks. Industrial areas that will not allow parking and chase off those who do - Magna Park is one of the Biggest culprits for this :exclamation: ( others available ) A RHA that has no teeth and an industry that cant grow a pair big enough to say enough is enough . . So long as the products are reaching the shelves and stocked, no one gives a hoot. . There are more than enough major / large Industrial warehouse zones that have a field/s aside them on the estate to make provision for a surfaced area to accommodate short and long stay/overnight parking. The sooner the Haulage industry grows a pair the better :smiling_imp: . Fair do-es to the French, they wouldnt put up with this malarky not one bit. But then they have a larger Country and more space than UK.
.
You cant poop a quart into a pint pot without overspill.
.
The governments promise years ago, and im talking approx 12-15yrs ago, was service areas on Mways/ major trunk routes not more than 50 miles apart, looking at a vast expanse of the Country, that has been achieved and reduced to near 35 miles apart in many areas. Cant say the same for the M25 orbital but im sure a few spare Gov /Council /highways owned unused fields could be set aside for a rest stop.
.
This issue regarding Parking stops has not just happened , it has been building up and getting worse for many years.
it`s only because of the high rate frequency that people are really starting to notice it and actually make comment.
speedyguy:
kr79:
Seen a few links on Facebook of Kent Police fining and moving lorry’s on that park for breaks on the hard shoulder.
About time it’s a real danger.There’s the ‘real’ newspaper
kentonline.co.uk/ashford/new … ped-48002/
A “Real” newspaper would be pumping for voters to have Kent turning Purple rather than just ‘purple in the face’…
What on EARTH did all those people who voted Tory down here - actually WANT for their money - other than to just ■■■■ off as many of their working neighbours as possible? 
Just imagine the scene… A continental truck who can’t find anywhere to park for love nor money - rolls up on the small industrial estate near Mr and Mrs Nimby Bluerose…
Then 16,084 illegal immigrants pile out of the back, 99.87% of them male, and demand to turn their back yard into “Folksatanic State” and promptly hoist the wife’s bloomers on a pole to stake their claim, before staking Mr Nimby through the missing heart, as they think he’s a vampire, probably because he sounds Romanian like the Truck driver they’ve already staked by throwing a metal bar through the windscreen of their cab…
Or maybe I’m just being paranoid, Cameron will actually keep his promise, secure a fantastic deal with the EU that haves them halve our contibution, and make any new laws we like that restrict migrants both legal and illegal into this country…
Or maybe my alarm clock merely failed to wake me up at this point. 
trux:
The Industry does not help itself in any way shape or form.
Drivers willing to push on and flaunt the laws haphazardly, haulage firms and planners making too tight a schedule not allowing for disruption or drivers breaks.
Industrial areas that will not allow parking and chase off those who do - Magna Park is one of the Biggest culprits for this( others available )
A RHA that has no teeth and an industry that cant grow a pair big enough to say enough is enough .
Spot on 
trux:
So long as the products are reaching the shelves and stocked, no one gives a hoot.
There are more than enough major / large Industrial warehouse zones that have a field/s aside them on the estate to make provision for a surfaced area to accommodate short and long stay/overnight parking.
The sooner the Haulage industry grows a pair the better
Spot on AGAIN
trux:
The governments promise years ago, and im talking approx 12-15yrs ago, was service areas on Mways/ major trunk routes not more than 50 miles apart, looking at a vast expanse of the Country, that has been achieved and reduced to near 35 miles apart in many areas. Cant say the same for the M25 orbital but im sure a few spare Gov/Council /highways owned unused fields could be set aside for a rest stop.
Fooooooook me Spot on AGAIN
There are already councils and Nimbys arguing about a new MSA on the M25
trux:
This issue regarding Parking stops has not just happened , it has been building up and getting worse for many years.
it`s only because of the high rate frequency that people are really starting to notice it and actually make comment.
Look on the bright side you may be getting a BIG NEW SHINY MSA in Leeds on a grander scale than Cobham and Beaconsfield 
With at least 50 truck parking spaces
investleedscityregion.com/invest … rvice-area
democracy.leeds.gov.uk/documents … an.pdf?T=9
document:
PLANNING HISTORY
4.1 The MSA site was subject to a planning application in 2000 (LPA Ref: 32/162/00/OT)
for a motorway service station (incl. amenity block and travel lodge) and was refused
in 2005. This application was called in for determination by the Secretary of State and
was considered alongside four other sites. Uncertainty on the then delivery of the East
Leeds Link Road, the opening date of the proposed MSA and the fact that this site
was least compliant with the government’s spacing policy weighed against the
proposal.
The spacing policy was removed in 2013 to encourage competition.
Yesterday I took a vehicle for a road test along the A20 from Sellindge to the tunnel roundabout and on to the Roundhill Tunnel interchange. In spite of the clearly signed lay-by parking ban it is plain that this is being ignored. The roads are covered in mud, dragged by what are obviously lorry sized wheels, from the ruts and potholes surrounding every lay-by. In the short term clamping and impounding of vehicles seems to be the answer. No-one in their right mind would attempt to enter Central London hoping to find somewhere to take a break. The offenders should be clamped and then recovered to Manston Airport pending payment of towing charges and fines. At least that way there would be some revenue coming to Kent as a consequence.
Trouble is, if you wheel clamp them all - we’ll then have “Operation stuck” on the A20 which will be totally queued up with clamped or boxed in artics all the way from the Lions of Lympne to the Ewoks of Eureka… 
I wonder if there will be an increase in ABP runs to the aforementioned Lympne over the next few weeks…?
About time. Just a quick heads up for the brain cell deficient drivers out there who expect to do 14.75 hours then park up at Sandbach services after 8pm.
IT’S GOING TO BE FULL.