New study says HGV drivers often feel unsafe at rest stops

Let’s be honest, motorway services and similar rest stops mostly serve a functional purpose – very few are actively designed to be specifically pleasant places to be. (With the possible exception of Gloucester Services.) However, even though they’re not necessarily go-to destinations in themselves, they still have to maintain basic standards of convenience, comfort, safety and security – and a recent report has found that a sizeable proportion of UK service stations fall short of those standards.

That’s especially troubling when you consider that the findings are specifically based on the experiences of HGV drivers throughout the UK, who make up a significant chunk of the customer base for these types of services.

So what does the report say, and is anything being done about it?

Less than 40% of drivers feel safe at motorway rest stops

The report was carried out by the transport watchdog Transport Focus, which conducted it in the spirit of this year’s National Lorry Week (4th to the 8th of November). It encompassed a survey of 7000 HGV drivers, and the results included some rather startling findings – chiefly amongst them that less than 4 in 10 lorry drivers were satisfied with the number of stopping places in the UK.

That in turn means that lots of HGV drivers are regularly forced to park in laybys or industrial estates, with next to no facilities (such as restaurants or toilets), and minimal security. What’s more, drivers have often reported feeling unwelcome at motorway service stations. Ultimately, this means thousands of drivers regularly feel uncomfortable, unsafe, and frequently unable to get a decent meal or proper rest.

Transport Focus concluded by making several key recommendations:

• Consistently higher standard of services – work must be done to drive up standards, and ensure consistent quality of facilities

• Parking capacity must be expanded to meet demand, so that drivers can get rest safely

• Safety and security must be improved at rest stops – especially at sites where there are already security concerns

• Welcoming environment – lots of lorry drivers feel less valued at some services than other customers, and this must be changed

It’s also worth noting that the UK haulage industry is still grappling with a recruitment crisis, and these issues are likely doing nothing to help. (According to Department for Transport statistics, the vacancy gap in the trucking industry currently sits at 24%.)

Why safety is such a key factor

Out of a very stark report, the revelation that drivers feel unsafe is perhaps the most significant part. There are several reasons for that, but we’ll start by stating the obvious: everyone has a right to feel safe at work, whether they’re in an office, a customer-facing role, or out on the roads like a driver. If anyone does feel unsafe at work (regardless of how immediate any physical danger is), that alone is reason enough to investigate and rectify it as a matter of priority. So there’s that.

There’s also the fact that some drivers have perfectly valid reasons for genuinely fearing for their safety – sites that are poorly secured open up the risk of their vehicles being targeted by thieves. It’s not unheard of for criminal gangs to target vulnerable HGVs at rest stops, especially when they’re being driven by lone employees who may be short on food or sleep. Some HGVs have been intercepted, their drivers threatened, and the vehicles themselves drained of valuable diesel, which is then resold on the black market for profit. Thankfully these instances are relatively few and far between, but they’re still reason enough for drives to be concerned.

It’s one more reason why it’s so important for security to be improved at rest stops, with extra patrols, CCTV or well-lit areas to ensure that drivers can always feel safe. As for securing the fuel itself, that’s where we can help at TankSafe.

Diesel theft happens every day here in the UK, but the majority is not due to gang activity. In fact, the majority is stolen from companies by internal employees, who often see it as a perk of the job. They typically do it through a process called skimming, which you can read more about on the dedicated fuel skimming page on our website.

Our solution is specifically designed to protect your fuel against this kind of theft. It’s called TankSafe Optimum, and features a patented design that we’ve specifically developed in-house here at TankSafe, with a clever locking valve mechanism that prevents the tank being over-filled or “brimmed”. This isolates the fuel in the tank, therefore effectively preventing any skimming, siphoning or spillage. It’s an excellent way to secure your fuel in the short term while you gradually build up additional security measures that can help catch perpetrators in the act.

You can read more about how TankSafe Optimum works, or don’t hesitate to get in touch with our team if you have any further questions about the best ways to protect your fuel in 2024. Give us a quick call on 01253 400 401, and we'll be happy to help however we can!