MP welcomes assurance from transport minister on facilities for road hauliers

Gordon MP Richard Thomson has received an assurance from Minister for Transport MSP Jenny Gilruth that rest and welfare facilities for hauliers on Scotland’s trunk roads network will be subject to a detailed national audit and review.

Mr Thomson wrote to the Minister after being approached to support a campaign by the Road Haulage Association (RHA) which seeks to improve roadside facilities for driver welfare.

In a letter to Mr Thomson, Transport Minister MSP Jenny Gilruth states: “I met with the RHA this week to discuss this campaign in some more detail.

"Rest and welfare facilities for haulers across Scotland was identified as an issue in the undertaking of the second Strategic Transport Projects Review (STPR2).

“With Transport Scotland collecting views on the provision of lorry parks including where and what type of facilities are required and the potential demand for alternative fuel provision zero emission vehicles, the audit would indicate which routes have gaps in provision and support Transport Scotland in making future decisions on the need (or otherwise) to address market failure.

“Transport Scotland will undertake this review in cooperation with a number of stakeholders including lorry park operators/investors, haulage firms and industry representatives, landowners, local authorities and the Scottish Government. It is intended to publish the STPR2 final report by the end of the year.”

Welcoming the response, Mr Thomson said: “I’m sure that this will be welcomed as a step forward in improving facilities for hauliers and drivers across the trunk road network where gaps currently exist.

“We’ve seen in recent years that the job our hauliers carry out has increased in importance as a range of pressures bear down on them as a result of Brexit.

"It’s therefore only right that they have access to proper facilities whilst travelling the length and breadth of the country, whilst removing some of the barriers to those considering a career move into lorry driving.”

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