Truckstop campaign
Join the Unite truckstop campaign
It’s not much to
ask after a long day’s work in an industry that’s worth millions
every year to Britain:
- A clean bed
- A hot meal
- And a secure night’s sleep
But for far too many British professional
lorry drivers the end of the driving day marks the beginning of a
tense and sleepless night as they struggle to:
- Find a safe place to park
- A decent meal they can
afford
- Protect their cargo from motorway
pirates
Official figures obtained by Unite the union
under the Freedom of Information Act show that there were nearly
400 thefts from lorries in Leicestershire alone last year. That’s a
big cost to the haulage industry, and a significant expense to the
taxpayer in police investigation time. It is also a major headache
for professional truck drivers who have to cope with the
consequences. Sometimes that involves facing or suffering violence
at the hands of lorry raiders.
Secure and affordable truckstops are vital for
our haulage industry. They’re essential in the campaign to make our
roads safer for professional drivers and everyone else.
Unite’s truckstop campaign aims to ensure that
every professional driver has
- A safe place to park
- A safe and clean bed
- A good meal they can afford
A driver who’s had a good
rest is a safer driver. Safer for everyone.
Professional drivers can help boost Unite’s
Truckstop Campaign by calling the Truckstop Hotline to tell your
experiences of conditions on the road and when you park up. Perhaps
you’ve got pictures to back up your complaint. Unite will be
delighted to feature them on this website.
Unite knows that truck driving is one of the
toughest jobs there is. Bad working conditions make it worse. Help
Unite win a better deal on the road for drivers.
Together we’re
making things better at work
The drivers' experiences
Professional drivers among Unite’s members have been keeping
diaries of their experiences at truckstops and facilities up and
down Britain’s roads. Sometimes the truckstop map looks adequate,
but the reality is often a lot less pleasant for drivers who’ve
already put in a long day’s work.
- Parked at Southampton docks – cost £10. No facilities
- Truckstop at Stirling closed due to holidays
- Night at Crewe. Truckstop £12.50. Food poor
- Stopped at Hartshead, stayed in cab. Services too expensive.
Used cereal and milk from home for dinner
- Stopped in layby – no food or drink
- Peterhead – dirty toilet, no food
- West Thurrock £8. Toilet and shower disgusting. Food ok
- Cattle market, Newport. £5 to park. Would not let an animal use
these toilets
Now imagine if these were your working conditions every day.
Professional lorry drivers shouldn’t have to tolerate this
treatment either.
We’d like professional drivers to help the campaign for better
truckstops by e-mailing us any pictures or other observations for
this website. Send your messages to truckstop@unitetheunion.org
Together we can make working conditions better for professional
drivers.
Motorway crime and other thefts from lorries are a serious
headache for Unite’s professional driver members. Also, they cost
the UK haulage industry some £250 million a year, which means a big
cost to everybody.
The provision of clean, cheap and secure truckstops is a major
priority for the commercial road transport section of Unite. The
union knows it is what members want, and Unite says it is not much
to ask. After all, workers in any other industry who are expected
to spend nights away from home would consider a clean bed, a hot
meal and a safe place to stay as a basic right. Professional
drivers are no different; they’ve just been taken for granted for
too long.
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