The Freight Transport Association (FTA) has called on policy makers to prioritise the provision of improved facilities for haulage drivers.  According to FTA’s head of European policy, Pauline Bastidon, the lack of adequate parking and rest areas across the European road network is forcing drivers to take rest breaks in their cabs, without appropriate facilities being available.

“The provision of suitable rest areas for drivers, set out by EU law as a requirement across the Trans European Transport Network by 2030, needs urgent attention,” she said.  “The lack of suitable places for drivers to take legally mandated weekly rest breaks, located near main road access and with secured parking facilities, is of critical concern to FTA and our members.  Urgent action is required from governments across Europe to ensure that adequate driver facilities are available to enable freight operators to undertake their jobs safely and securely.”

Speaking in Strasbourg, where FTA is holding meetings with members of the European Parliament on the issue, Ms Bastidon outlined the proposals which FTA would like to see prioritised, to protect drivers and their loads while travelling across Europe:  

“It is incumbent on all EU states, including the UK, to provide safe, suitable parking and rest areas for drivers operating across the continent.  FTA is demanding that all member states issue annual reports to the European Commission on the availability of suitable, secure rest and parking areas across their countries, which can then be reported back to the European Parliament and Council on an annual basis.  In addition, concrete action must be taken to increase the number of suitable facilities available for drivers to use while conducting their daily working routine. 

“Until such time as the number and quality of facilities available for drivers to use has reached an acceptable level, drivers should be granted the option of spending their weekly rest break in their vehicle, as long as it has suitable sleeping facilities in the cab, and as long as there is access to sanitary facilities close by.  We do not want to see drivers sleeping in laybys, which is dangerous for the individuals and their loads, and unsanitary for those living in the vicinity.”

EU law states that rest facilities should be located approximately every 100km across the European road network by 2030, and the European Commission is co-financing safe and secure parking projects under the Connecting Europe Facility Fund (CEF).  However, as Ms Bastidon explains, the quantity and quality of appropriate facilities for drivers still falls short of what is needed to ensure drivers can take their legally-mandated rest breaks in a safe, secure environment.

“It is unacceptable to expect logistics operators to work without the opportunity to rest and recuperate after a stressful period of driving long distances.  Our members are keen for the CEF to be used to take positive action in establishing a broader network of facilities across the continent, and in the UK, and we will be working closely with representatives in Strasbourg to ensure positive actions are taken.”

To demonstrate the disparity of facilities available to drivers across Europe, and in the UK, FTA is asking for pictures of facilities which drivers encounter to be sent to its Twitter account, @newsatfta, using the hashtag #ftarest and details of the location.  FTA will be collating the best, and worst, facilities encountered and using the pictures as evidence in future lobbying activity.

FTA represents all modes of the UK’s freight and logistics sector, with its members operating half of the UK’s lorry fleet (more than 200,000 vehicles) and consigning 70% of the country’s visible exports by sea and air. The UK remains a leader in logistics at a global level, ranked in the top ten countries in terms of logistics performance, and the sector contributes 11% of the UK’s non-financial business economy.  In 2016, 2.54 million people were employed in logistics in the UK, approximately 8% of the UK’s workforce.  FTA also represents its members in Europe, and will continue to do so after Brexit, having recently invested in its presence in Brussels.