Ok I am having issues with breaks and where to have them. New to the job so not sure what I am doing wrong but also trying not to annoy other drivers/delivery vans by hogging a place on the loading bays. It seams to me that my two regular drops are Lambeth palace rd and 2 London bridge area. Due to being new to the job and to driving it takes me over 2 hours with traffic to get to the first drop and I probably don’t leave the yard till 6.30 - 7am approx. By the time I have done the three drops im nearly on 3- 3.5 hours (yesterday I had an extra one in se5 so was neigh on 4 hours). On almost every drop there is a lorry with the driver on break and soon as I get on the main a2/black wall tunnel road (dual carriageway) every refuse area / layby / old slip road has lorries parked on it.
I realise as I get more proficient it will take less time and I will leave earlier giving me more driving time (less wastes looking for places and trying to get there but for the time being where would you recommend I head for to park or any maps or apps that might help please.
coop
Supermarket car park? Tesco near Bermondsey? Just buy a meal deal and youre a customer, obviously stick yourself in a corner. I’ve not had issues before, even in an artic. I’m sure you could lose yourself up Mandela Way in Bermondsey for 45mins too…
I always used to break on the way in, but you’re down that way so you’re not resetting loads of time if you do that so its not worth it.
I’ve done my fair share of multi drop in london. At my last place, i was going in there with anything up to six drops in a wagon and drag and finding anywhere big enough to park that thing up for a break was almost impossible.
Whenever I was going into London on a multi drop day I’d always leave the yard an hour earlier and get as close as I possibly could, then stop on the outskirts and do an eye lid survey for 45 minutes. Always woke up feeling a bit fresher and having the benefit of my full four and half to get in and back out again.
Also worth keeping an eye on the parking bays. Some of them, especially a little bit out of the centre of London allow an hour of parking between certain hours. Clock a few of them and mark them on a map.
There are a couple of little side roads off of the Old Kent Road that are restriction free as well. Or they used to be. Verney Road was one although I’m talking a good five years since I’ve parked there.
talknonsense:
I’ve done my fair share of multi drop in london. At my last place, i was going in there with anything up to six drops in a wagon and drag and finding anywhere big enough to park that thing up for a break was almost impossible.
Whenever I was going into London on a multi drop day I’d always leave the yard an hour earlier and get as close as I possibly could, then stop on the outskirts and do an eye lid survey for 45 minutes. Always woke up feeling a bit fresher and having the benefit of my full four and half to get in and back out again.
+1…
Unless I was gauranteed somewhere to park ie; on a customers site, I’d always have 50 minutes off outside London then drive in with a clean half shift of driving available.
Keep your eye out for places when you drive around but I would agree with others. I tend to take my break before I hit the city so I have plenty of time. It’s far less stressful.
toonsy:
Supermarket car park? Tesco near Bermondsey? Just buy a meal deal and youre a customer, obviously stick yourself in a corner. I’ve not had issues before, even in an artic. I’m sure you could lose yourself up Mandela Way in Bermondsey for 45mins too…
I always used to break on the way in, but you’re down that way so you’re not resetting loads of time if you do that so its not worth it.
Second for Mandela Way. You need to access it from Bricklayers Arms and Not from the Flyover. Tesco Old Kent Rd with toilets is a five minute walk.
The only other places I can think of are too far away : at the top of Streatham Commmon Southside there is a small cafe (No good for anything bigger than the OP’s 7.5t). If you take Leigham Court rd at Streatham Hill Stn and then go round the Common via Streatham Common Northside and Streatham High rd you can avoid having to go right through Streatham. I used to use Charlton Way on Blackheath, but that now seems to be for coaches.
If you look carefully at the signs in the Red Route laybys some of them allow about 1/2 hr to 1 hr. IIRC there are a couple along the A13 Commercial rd. You certainly see Supermarket lorries in them sometimes when they can’t quite make The A2 as you come out of the underpass.
Again if you just can’t find anywhere come out of London at 2.5 hrs take your 45 and go back in. Even take 15 on the way in and then you are only looking for 30 minutes.
Mandella Way, SE1 East of Elephant and Castle. Tesco is up the road
Nathan Way, SE28 8BF Thamesmead. - Literally nothing here - Not Artic friendly last time I was there.
Beddington Farm Road, CR0 4XY Croydon. Asda is round the corner. Artic friendly.
McDonalds, Woolwich SE28 0FF You might be pushing your luck taking a 45 on that road outside the McDonalds though. No chance you’ll get away with it in an artic.