well I found some of the facts interesting, even if a bit confusing.
robinhood_1984:
I wrote to my MP with the following,Dear Martin Vickers,
I am writing to you today to bring to your attention the over night parking situation for HGV’s on a national level throughout the United Kingdom.
As a driver myself this is a problem faced on an almost daily basis. The nature of the job dictates that I am often away from home for the whole week and thus have to spend 4 to 5 nights per week sleeping in my truck. This may seem like no big deal, and indeed it would not be, where it not for a very serious and a very real problem. The absolute lack of appropriate and safe parking, not only for my vehicle, but for me as a human being.
Many haulage companies today do not pay for truck parking costs, which in some motorway services areas can for example approach thirty pounds per night, which is of course far beyond the means of en employed man to pay for. A truck driver is put between a rock and a hard place, because not only do we struggle to find parking, but we are compelled by the law to take breaks and over night rest periods within a very rigid set of regulations that are enforced electronically, to the absolute letter of the law. We do not have the luxury of driving on until a suitable place can be found, we must stop when the law says, or face huge pentalties.
So this brings us to the problem, drivers are forced to park up where ever they can squeeze in, usually an industrial estate side road or a layby on the side of a busy road with other vehicles passing only inches away, giving the driver not only a sleeples night due to noise with no toilet or washing facilities but also the risk of being crashed into during the night by a passing vehicle. An example of this if such were required happened only this week on the A5 at Crick in Northamptonshire ending in a fatality. This is just one of many such incedents and a threat posed to hard working drivers on a daily basis.
I believe that every body deserves to go to work and be safe. Yet truck drivers are expected to put their lives at risk and park in the only places available, which are not only dangerous, but also suffer from the effects of crime of both the trucks diesel and the load we are carrying, not to mention the fact the complete lack of basic facilities. We are legally required to be stationary for either 9 or 11 hours per night. I can not imagine a situation where an employee in an office or factory was locked in a room the size of a truck cab and given no toilet facilities, at the very least. More dignity is afforded to arrested criminals in police cells or those serving time in jails.
While the parking problem is not especially serious in North and North East Lincolnshire, on a national level it is truely shocking. Our local area is home to an exceptionally large number of haulage companies who operate and send their vehicles throughout the country, and those drivers, including myself are your constituants and I would like to ask of you, as my MP to bring this problem to light in parliament so that something can be done about this terrible situation at a national level.Thank you for taking the time to read my letter, I hope it gives at least an insight in to the conerns and issues at hand.
Yours sincerely,
I’ve no doubt rambled and ranted on somewhat, but its a point I feel needs to be made. All we need now is for the other hundreds/thousands of guys and girls on here to write something to a similar effect and we’ll at least be heared.
Hope you don’t mind, but I copied this letter and submitted it to the Minister For Transport . Hope this helps. 
newmercman:
Coffeeholic:
I prefer parking in lay-bys rather than truckstops and MSA’s. Sleep better and the smell of ■■■■ is a little less overpowering. Plus with everything parked in a line rather than side by side there’s much less chance of other drivers talking at you.I used to use the truckstop or services for a shower them go off and find a lay-by, and that wasn’t because of parking costs because I didn’t have to pay them.
You do it through choice, that’s an entirely different matter than having to do it because there isn’t an alternative.
I’ve spent many nights in lay-bys, for many different reasons, for peace and quiet, to save a few quid, there’s a decent place to eat/drink nearby or best of all because I’m having a female visitor who should’ve been somewhere else, but that was my choice.
The best parking places were the old town center car parks, a nicker in the machine and you were set for the night, everything you needed was within walking/staggering home distance, these places still exist, yet they’re out of bounds, those are the places needed to ease the problems, the answer to the problem is already there
The lay-bys will still be full, but then nobody can moan that there isn’t any alternative
Thoroughly agree with this.
The old town centre lorry parks were always the best but the nimby attitude has put paid to the majority of them.
There are a few left but nowhere near as many as there could be.
Where I live (Stamford) the lorry park closed years ago, it’s still there for cars & coaches & the locals now complain about rising car park fees (they were free).
When I wrote to the local paper suggesting that they re-instate the lorry park (for +/- 100 vehicles) & charge around £5 per night & then the cars/tourists could park free of charge (except the coaches of course) they published my letter & the nimby’s were horrified. Suprise suprise I was shot down in flames, what can you do? 
I use set back lay bys quite often,usually bits of old road & always with a pub nearby & occasionally even on them,ditto ind,est’s too,much the same as Coffee said. Guess I’ve been lucky but am in my 31st year on the road now & have never had any prob’s,been disturbed by dodgy comings & goings a few times but never had my wagon or load interfered with…yet.
I’ve never parked in a roadside lay by overnight however,don’t even like taking my 45’s in them tbh.
bigvern1:
robinhood_1984:
I wrote to my MP with the followingHope you don’t mind, but I copied this letter and submitted it to the Minister For Transport . Hope this helps.
There are a few points in your letter that I wish I had thought of, this is what I wrote.
Dear Tony Cunningham,Can I draw your attention to the problems faced by long distance lorry drivers concerning overnight parking in the UK today.
Before I give you the details can I just tell you that I am a member of a Trucker,s internet forum “Trucknet UK” a few of the members are each writing to their MP to see if something can be done, the concencus is that we will get nowhere, I hope we can be proved wrong.
Due to stringent tachograph rules a driver has to park up for a daily rest between 9&11 hours, the ideal place to park is where you can take advantage of basic facilities, toilets, food drink, maybe a shower, and somewhere that does not provide an opportunity for ever increasing Truck crime, where your fuel,load, and driver,s general safety is at risk.
You may be under the impression that designated Truckstops are plentiful, it is a recognised fact that they are not. Most town lorry parks have disappeared over the years (including the one at your home town Workington where there is ample space today to set aside an area for truck parking) a lot of the times due to pressure from a large contingent of the general public who are anti-truck, ironic when you think of the essential service we provide for them.
This brings me to the main problem, because of the points I have laid out drivers are faced with parking in lay bys, these are completely unsuitable not only from the facilities and crime aspects mentioned, but it,s a Health & safety issue, a lot of these lay bys are filthy, rat infested and rubbish laden, it also contravenes road safety, a driver is not getting proper rest trying to sleep with one eye open waiting to be robbed, and getting nearly shook out of bed (beleive me it,s true!) by the effects of passing heavy traffic. The safety aspect was brought to a head when only this week a driver was killed when he ran into an overnight parked truck in a shallow lay by directly adjacent to the road, where probably the guy was parked only for the reasons I have pointed out.
I will leave this with you to deal with as you wish, I really hope you can try and do something.
Thank you for taking the time to read this
We are maybe banging our heads on a brick wall… we will see…If anybody wants to copy this feel free ROY
robinhood_1984:
I wrote to my MP with the following,Dear Martin Vickers,
I am writing to you today to bring to your attention the over night parking situation for HGV’s on a national level throughout the United Kingdom.
As a driver myself this is a problem faced on an almost daily basis. The nature of the job dictates that I am often away from home for the whole week and thus have to spend 4 to 5 nights per week sleeping in my truck. This may seem like no big deal, and indeed it would not be, where it not for a very serious and a very real problem. The absolute lack of appropriate and safe parking, not only for my vehicle, but for me as a human being.
Many haulage companies today do not pay for truck parking costs, which in some motorway services areas can for example approach thirty pounds per night, which is of course far beyond the means of en employed man to pay for. A truck driver is put between a rock and a hard place, because not only do we struggle to find parking, but we are compelled by the law to take breaks and over night rest periods within a very rigid set of regulations that are enforced electronically, to the absolute letter of the law. We do not have the luxury of driving on until a suitable place can be found, we must stop when the law says, or face huge pentalties.
So this brings us to the problem, drivers are forced to park up where ever they can squeeze in, usually an industrial estate side road or a layby on the side of a busy road with other vehicles passing only inches away, giving the driver not only a sleeples night due to noise with no toilet or washing facilities but also the risk of being crashed into during the night by a passing vehicle. An example of this if such were required happened only this week on the A5 at Crick in Northamptonshire ending in a fatality. This is just one of many such incedents and a threat posed to hard working drivers on a daily basis.
I believe that every body deserves to go to work and be safe. Yet truck drivers are expected to put their lives at risk and park in the only places available, which are not only dangerous, but also suffer from the effects of crime of both the trucks diesel and the load we are carrying, not to mention the fact the complete lack of basic facilities. We are legally required to be stationary for either 9 or 11 hours per night. I can not imagine a situation where an employee in an office or factory was locked in a room the size of a truck cab and given no toilet facilities, at the very least. More dignity is afforded to arrested criminals in police cells or those serving time in jails.
While the parking problem is not especially serious in North and North East Lincolnshire, on a national level it is truely shocking. Our local area is home to an exceptionally large number of haulage companies who operate and send their vehicles throughout the country, and those drivers, including myself are your constituants and I would like to ask of you, as my MP to bring this problem to light in parliament so that something can be done about this terrible situation at a national level.Thank you for taking the time to read my letter, I hope it gives at least an insight in to the conerns and issues at hand.
Yours sincerely,
I’ve no doubt rambled and ranted on somewhat, but its a point I feel needs to be made. All we need now is for the other hundreds/thousands of guys and girls on here to write something to a similar effect and we’ll at least be heared.
I have just coppied this also and sent it to my MP ,hope you dont mind,see if anything comes back.
FLIP:
Thoroughly agree with this.
The old town centre lorry parks were always the best but the nimby attitude has put paid to the majority of them.
There are a few left but nowhere near as many as there could be.
Where I live (Stamford) the lorry park closed years ago, it’s still there for cars & coaches & the locals now complain about rising car park fees (they were free).
When I wrote to the local paper suggesting that they re-instate the lorry park (for +/- 100 vehicles) & charge around £5 per night & then the cars/tourists could park free of charge (except the coaches of course) they published my letter & the nimby’s were horrified. Suprise suprise I was shot down in flames, what can you do?
I was at Forfar a few months ago, the old lorry park, a massive space at the top of the hill , next to the pubs, shops, cafes and takeaways was completely empty, with a big sign saying " Cars & Coaches Only, all lorries will be clamped" Yeh I know PART of the reason for closure however long ago was maybe down to mess left but it could be dealt with better. Me being me 
, I thought I am not letting the bar stewards force me out of town so I asked a guy if I could park in front of his wharehouse giving him free security 
Sorry if I am boring everybody by keep banging on about this 
, it,s just something that really Pss me off big style
jessicas dad:
you will get no joy out of your union for anything, those jobs at the unions are just like euro mp’s… there for an easy life and the gravy train.i think the percentage of over nighters in layby’s is extremely small, i have done it maybe a dozen times in the past 10 years proberly less.
i will stop in a layby seperated by a kerb, but no curb no way. there is no excuse and if the company dosent pay parking then ive no problem spending maybe 30 mins driving round off route for somewhere decent to park.
another thing i do which is pretty sad, when im out and about ive always got my eyes open clocking places to park and delivery points with parking outside all go upstairs for future referance.
9 times out of 10 if you ask a driver they will point you in the right direction for somewhere to park anyway.
d
dont recall any kerbs at wansdford
Sent that letter off to MP and Local Councillors . prob hot air will be in any replies.
robinhood_1984:
I wrote to my MP with the following,Dear Martin Vickers,
I am writing to you today to bring to your attention the over night parking situation for HGV’s on a national level throughout the United Kingdom.
As a driver myself this is a problem faced on an almost daily basis. The nature of the job dictates that I am often away from home for the whole week and thus have to spend 4 to 5 nights per week sleeping in my truck. This may seem like no big deal, and indeed it would not be, where it not for a very serious and a very real problem. The absolute lack of appropriate and safe parking, not only for my vehicle, but for me as a human being.
Many haulage companies today do not pay for truck parking costs, which in some motorway services areas can for example approach thirty pounds per night, which is of course far beyond the means of en employed man to pay for. A truck driver is put between a rock and a hard place, because not only do we struggle to find parking, but we are compelled by the law to take breaks and over night rest periods within a very rigid set of regulations that are enforced electronically, to the absolute letter of the law. We do not have the luxury of driving on until a suitable place can be found, we must stop when the law says, or face huge pentalties.
So this brings us to the problem, drivers are forced to park up where ever they can squeeze in, usually an industrial estate side road or a layby on the side of a busy road with other vehicles passing only inches away, giving the driver not only a sleeples night due to noise with no toilet or washing facilities but also the risk of being crashed into during the night by a passing vehicle. An example of this if such were required happened only this week on the A5 at Crick in Northamptonshire ending in a fatality. This is just one of many such incedents and a threat posed to hard working drivers on a daily basis.
I believe that every body deserves to go to work and be safe. Yet truck drivers are expected to put their lives at risk and park in the only places available, which are not only dangerous, but also suffer from the effects of crime of both the trucks diesel and the load we are carrying, not to mention the fact the complete lack of basic facilities. We are legally required to be stationary for either 9 or 11 hours per night. I can not imagine a situation where an employee in an office or factory was locked in a room the size of a truck cab and given no toilet facilities, at the very least. More dignity is afforded to arrested criminals in police cells or those serving time in jails.
While the parking problem is not especially serious in North and North East Lincolnshire, on a national level it is truely shocking. Our local area is home to an exceptionally large number of haulage companies who operate and send their vehicles throughout the country, and those drivers, including myself are your constituants and I would like to ask of you, as my MP to bring this problem to light in parliament so that something can be done about this terrible situation at a national level.Thank you for taking the time to read my letter, I hope it gives at least an insight in to the conerns and issues at hand.
Yours sincerely,
I’ve no doubt rambled and ranted on somewhat, but its a point I feel needs to be made. All we need now is for the other hundreds/thousands of guys and girls on here to write something to a similar effect and we’ll at least be heared.
Copied and sent to my MP, and also posted on my facebook along with the writetothem.com link
At last a thread that actually is aimed at helping drivers, I always said towns/cities should be made to provide parking for commercial vehicle based on the size of the town. Why doesn’t the magazine which sponsors this site do some thing to help.
ONLY about 8 or 9 of us have admitted writing a letter so far, it could NOT be any easier using the web site mentioned, has anybody else written one or are we ■■■■■■■ against the wind here?? … Come on lads it,s a start ffs!!!
ironstipper:
Ten years ago , a crack commando unit was sent to prison by a military court for a crime they didn’t commit. These men promptly escaped from a maximum security stockade to the Skegness underground. Today, still wanted by the government, they survive as soldiers of fortune. If you have a problem, if no one else can help, and if you can find them, maybe you can hire… Supreme Commander Comrade Baz of Bazworld.
Are you, in a less than cryptic manner, referring to the White Nelson Mandela-Luther King?
Coffeeholic:
ironstipper:
Ten years ago , a crack commando unit was sent to prison by a military court for a crime they didn’t commit. These men promptly escaped from a maximum security stockade to the Skegness underground. Today, still wanted by the government, they survive as soldiers of fortune. If you have a problem, if no one else can help, and if you can find them, maybe you can hire… Supreme Commander Comrade Baz of Bazworld.Are you, in a less than cryptic manner, referring to the White Nelson Mandela-Luther King?
Is it this bloke twitter.com/#!/Comrade_Baz ■■
bigvern1:
robinhood_1984:
I wrote to my MP with the following,Dear Martin Vickers,
I am writing to you today to bring to your attention the over night parking situation for HGV’s on a national level throughout the United Kingdom.
As a driver myself this is a problem faced on an almost daily basis. The nature of the job dictates that I am often away from home for the whole week and thus have to spend 4 to 5 nights per week sleeping in my truck. This may seem like no big deal, and indeed it would not be, where it not for a very serious and a very real problem. The absolute lack of appropriate and safe parking, not only for my vehicle, but for me as a human being.
Many haulage companies today do not pay for truck parking costs, which in some motorway services areas can for example approach thirty pounds per night, which is of course far beyond the means of en employed man to pay for. A truck driver is put between a rock and a hard place, because not only do we struggle to find parking, but we are compelled by the law to take breaks and over night rest periods within a very rigid set of regulations that are enforced electronically, to the absolute letter of the law. We do not have the luxury of driving on until a suitable place can be found, we must stop when the law says, or face huge pentalties.
So this brings us to the problem, drivers are forced to park up where ever they can squeeze in, usually an industrial estate side road or a layby on the side of a busy road with other vehicles passing only inches away, giving the driver not only a sleeples night due to noise with no toilet or washing facilities but also the risk of being crashed into during the night by a passing vehicle. An example of this if such were required happened only this week on the A5 at Crick in Northamptonshire ending in a fatality. This is just one of many such incedents and a threat posed to hard working drivers on a daily basis.
I believe that every body deserves to go to work and be safe. Yet truck drivers are expected to put their lives at risk and park in the only places available, which are not only dangerous, but also suffer from the effects of crime of both the trucks diesel and the load we are carrying, not to mention the fact the complete lack of basic facilities. We are legally required to be stationary for either 9 or 11 hours per night. I can not imagine a situation where an employee in an office or factory was locked in a room the size of a truck cab and given no toilet facilities, at the very least. More dignity is afforded to arrested criminals in police cells or those serving time in jails.
While the parking problem is not especially serious in North and North East Lincolnshire, on a national level it is truely shocking. Our local area is home to an exceptionally large number of haulage companies who operate and send their vehicles throughout the country, and those drivers, including myself are your constituants and I would like to ask of you, as my MP to bring this problem to light in parliament so that something can be done about this terrible situation at a national level.Thank you for taking the time to read my letter, I hope it gives at least an insight in to the conerns and issues at hand.
Yours sincerely,
I’ve no doubt rambled and ranted on somewhat, but its a point I feel needs to be made. All we need now is for the other hundreds/thousands of guys and girls on here to write something to a similar effect and we’ll at least be heared.
Hope you don’t mind, but I copied this letter and submitted it to the Minister For Transport . Hope this helps.
A small but maybe valid point. If the current Minister of Transport is not your MP, it will probably go in the bin unread, it is how the powers that be work. Jobs for the boys and girls.
Send the letter by all means, but send it to own MP
More than happy if people want to copy and paste my letter.Though dont forget to edit the piece refering to North Lincolnshire to that of your own area, if applicable.
If you send the letter via the link I provided it WILL be read.
This is because the site will come back yo you in a couple of weeks to ask if you have had a reply and they keep score of which MP’s respond.
same applies to Euro MP’s, worth also writing to them as some Euro rule may be being broken .
Costs nothing to try.
And with the present coalition ALL MP’s are working harder than ever to try and win votes, so now is a good time to pressure them…repeatedly.
If you don’t like or agree with their response… write again and tell them.
It’s free and I have never known a trucker turn down a freebie 
Just sent one to the Euro mp’s as well, should get enough hot air to go ballooning 
.
Done, also added a bit about how it was demeaning and humiliating for ladies to pee in lay-bys. That should get the do-gooders in parliament going. (or not)
Done, also added a bit about how it was demeaning and humiliating for ladies to pee in lay-bys.
maybe an idea to single out a female MP for that.
(probably not Dianne Abbott)
del949:
Done, also added a bit about how it was demeaning and humiliating for ladies to pee in lay-bys.
maybe an idea to single out a female MP for that.
(probably not Dianne Abbott)
Hazel Blears ■■■■■■ in her leather pants whilst out on the bike.
Margaret Becket acts like a ■■■■■ when on holiday in a caravan, so she will be no help.
Stephen Ladyboy is a biker, he may have some sympathy with you. 