‘Don’t park this – our truckers get a bad deal’

As UK firms face sleep-over fines of up to £26k, Kent MP declares:

The government is considering a significant hike in fines for foreign hauliers who ignore regulations to do with sleeping in their cabins by the roadside.

Roads minister Jesse Norman has told Kent MP Gordon Henderson that fines could increase from £300 to £3,000.

This comes after complaints from some UK hauliers that they were at a disadvantage when compared with their continental counterparts.

The pledge to consider an increase came in a debate at Westminster triggered by Sittingbourne and Sheppey MP to highlight the disparity in fines and the failure to enforce the rules.

Mr Norman complained that at just £300, UK fines were considerably lower than in other countries. He cited France, where penalties can be up to £26,000.

He said:”That disparity results in an indirect and unfair cost on British haulage companies operating in Europe, while providing Unfair: parking fines in the UK are much lower than abroad an advantage to European companies operating in the UK.”

The MP said: “Hauliers in my constituency are upset that EUbased operators use Britain’s lax attitude to the enforcement of the 45-hour rest period to gain a commercial advantage.”

“Too often HGVs park up in residential roads, business parks, lay-bys and slip roads on trunk roads and motorways. Such parking is inappropriate – and dangerous.”

The minister said: “We are looking hard at increasing these penalties, potentially putting them up to £3,000 for serious offences – from a road safety perspective.

He added that the government was preparing to announce “contingency plans” to deal with the consequences of a delay in building a huge lorry park for 3,600 lorries at a site off the M20 – near Stanford.

“It is no surprise that Kent has been identified as a hot spot,” said Mr Norman. “Lorry parks are operating at full capacity – enforcement has to go hand in hand with better sites.”

On the Operation Stack park plan, he said: “This is the subject of a Judicial Review, which has slowed down the process. We want to resolve the issue and will be announcing contingency plans in due course.”

What do you think? Write to Kentish Express, Unit 4, Park Mall shopping centre, Ashford TN24 8RY or email kentishexpress@thekmgroup.co.uk

‘The [penalty] disparity results in an indirect and unfair cost on British haulage companies...’