How much should we be prepared to pay for overnight parking at truckstops? (Not MSA’s). For secure parking with CCTV, hard standing, clean hot showers, reasonably priced quality food and the facilities you expect after a days work, what would be a reasonable cost to sleep soundly without keeping one ear open for a thieving ■■■■■?
My biggest gripe with MSA’s is they charge quite a lot for very little security, I know they have ANPR checking the plates on the way in & out which is a bit of an improvement and some have CCTV but it should be law for them to have comprehensive CCTV covering the truck park and a security guard monitoring it & doing walk rounds for the amount of money they charge. If i’m paying to park, I want to know my load/diesel isn’t going to get knicked or my curtains slashed while i’m asleep, that’s all I ask. Not too bothered about anything else.
You could charge what they charge as long as secure means secure.
I think Lincoln Farm is a good example for value, secure parking, good food, good shower, great staff, just a shame it’s a mud pit. But if it was concreted, it’d cost millions to concrete that, so it’d have to be reflected in the price.
Same with Red Lion in Wakefield area, good value, so that’s the sort of price / service I’d want.
A firm I worked for a few weeks ago wouldn’t pay for parking, so it had to come under the £20 night out money I was getting for me not to be funding the parking for my company, so I’d say upto £20 for a decent surface with good food and shower
For true COMPLETE safe parking I think £20 or £25 is reasonable, BUT how many places are true safe parking.
Most truckstops however are no better than a layby at the side of the road for security and most if not all MSAs are probably worse.
How MSAs can justify charging up to £32 (Crappit Lane) is beyond me, just ripping drivers and companys off because they know the alternatives are few and far between.
True there should be more secure parking but there is also a need for normal parking places that dont need constant 24hr CCTV with armed guards and alsations prowling the area.
It should be a planning requirement for all Industrial areas to provide a certain amount of off road truck parking places linked to the number of companies on the I.E. or linked to the overall area the I.E takes up.
For example Trafford Park is one of the largest industrial areas in Europe and aside from a few side roads there is virtually no parking spots away from the main traffic flow. There is however several areas of waste ground that could quite easily be converted to truck parking.
Do you think those eastern block drivers are paying £30+ per night at clacket lane?
Or have they increased the price for uk trucks because they aren’t paying anything at all, and they have very little chance of getting any penaltys off them!
Both Tebay and Truckhaven charge a tenner with a £2 meal voucher. Tebay has cctv, Truckhaven also has security guards, and they arn`t East European. Never had trouble at either of them.
Some places here charge and I refuse to pay and so I move on or park short of the place. I have noticed lately that they are gradually removing the gate houses and removing the barriers, maybe they get the message that they are loosing trade and with the charges 50% of the places are empty at night and that means less merchandise and food sold.
As for service areas there is very little security and ‘Vince Lombardy’ services at the top end of the NJ Turnpike (I-95) is probably the scariest place on earth to park overnight, I have done so on odd occasions and if I can’t find a spot near the front and main building I stay firmly locked in the sleeper.
toowise:
It should be a planning requirement for all Industrial areas to provide a certain amount of off road truck parking places linked to the number of companies on the I.E. or linked to the overall area the I.E takes up.
It’s a great idea that I totally agree with, but of the power of money rasises it’s ugly head. If a council even thought of insisting on it, then a developer would move elsewhere.
Personally I can understand why they should charge if people park on there land and don’t use any facilities.
I don’t really think anything will be done until either the insurance industry refuses to pay out on theft from trucks not parked in proper secure parking.
weeto:
Do you think those eastern block drivers are paying £30+ per night at clacket lane?
Or have they increased the price for uk trucks because they aren’t paying anything at all, and they have very little chance of getting any penaltys off them!
Nope i have seen taliban trucks that have been clamped if not paid and its about time. Saw one at Reading the other month and also one at Maidstone
£8 to £10 a night with shower and WiFi is reasonable for non motorway overnighting. TBH all I want is a shower facility and to not be in a layby on a busy road where even a scooter going past makes the cab rock.
Motorway service stations are always going to be expensive because people are scared to wander off the gert big strip of tarnac so they stop on the motorway. Supply and demand, comrades. If no one stopped at MSA’s then the price would drop.
Bromsgrove and Milton Keynes provide the above for a good price and have a security guard wandering about all night. However, Bromsgrove is not fridge friendly.
The problem is that any land that could be used for truckstops, is much more valueable for other uses.
No need to pay for parking, you have 9/10 hours to find somewhere, why pay £30 to park then extra for pee poor food?
bubsy06:
No need to pay for parking, you have 9/10 hours to find somewhere, why pay £30 to park then extra for pee poor food?
Nice to have shower though now its getting warmer. I got everything I need in cab except shower and toilet otherwise I would park in layby every night.
Squiddy:
bubsy06:
No need to pay for parking, you have 9/10 hours to find somewhere, why pay £30 to park then extra for pee poor food?Nice to have shower though now its getting warmer. I got everything I need in cab except shower and toilet otherwise I would park in layby every night.
Keep an eye out for leisure centres, all council run ones are happy to let you use them for free plus they are clean.
bubsy06:
Squiddy:
bubsy06:
No need to pay for parking, you have 9/10 hours to find somewhere, why pay £30 to park then extra for pee poor food?Nice to have shower though now its getting warmer. I got everything I need in cab except shower and toilet otherwise I would park in layby every night.
Keep an eye out for leisure centres, all council run ones are happy to let you use them for free plus they are clean.
Good tip, thanks!
As bad as it is to have to pay for parking, I paid 30p for a wee (I did try to get more value for money but no joy) in Victoria Station the other day. There was a sign up saying showers £5!
Squiddy:
£8 to £10 a night with shower and WiFi is reasonable for non motorway overnighting. TBH all I want is a shower facility and to not be in a layby on a busy road where even a scooter going past makes the cab rock.Motorway service stations are always going to be expensive because people are scared to wander off the gert big strip of tarnac so they stop on the motorway. Supply and demand, comrades. If no one stopped at MSA’s then the price would drop.
Bromsgrove and Milton Keynes provide the above for a good price and have a security guard wandering about all night. However, Bromsgrove is not fridge friendly.
Most places now you got to have your fridge turned off by a certain time unless of course a MSA
bubsy06:
Squiddy:
bubsy06:
No need to pay for parking, you have 9/10 hours to find somewhere, why pay £30 to park then extra for pee poor food?Nice to have shower though now its getting warmer. I got everything I need in cab except shower and toilet otherwise I would park in layby every night.
Keep an eye out for leisure centres, all council run ones are happy to let you use them for free plus they are clean.
Shower Only
£1.20
That’s my local council… But, they even charge for parking on a Sunday, so gives you an idea what morons they are.
muckles:
toowise:
It should be a planning requirement for all Industrial areas to provide a certain amount of off road truck parking places linked to the number of companies on the I.E. or linked to the overall area the I.E takes up.It’s a great idea that I totally agree with, but of the power of money rasises it’s ugly head. If a council even thought of insisting on it, then a developer would move elsewhere.
Personally I can understand why they should charge if people park on there land and don’t use any facilities.
I don’t really think anything will be done until either the insurance industry refuses to pay out on theft from trucks not parked in proper secure parking.
I couldn’t believe reading the posts on here that you have to pay to park in MSA’s and some of it £30 night according to CM, i think the government have it wrong and should make the MSA’S provide parking for so many hgv’s totally free as part of the planning and granting of rights.
Take it you dont do nights out then puntabrava, or just not had the “pleasure■■?” yet.