Better facilities for lorry drivers as winners of £8 million funding revealed

LORRY drivers across England will benefit from better roadside facilities, more secure parking and improved rest areas thanks to £8 million in Government funding that was awarded on:- 11 September 2023.

A total of 39 roadside facility operators across England will each receive a share of £8 million from the department and a further £11 million from industry to significantly upgrade truck stops for lorry drivers.

The improvements will boost welfare facilities like showers, rest areas and restaurants, and increase HGV parking capacity while improving security for drivers.

The funding comes from the Government's HGV Parking and Driver Welfare Grant Scheme and forms part of the up to £100 million joint investment between Government and industry to support the logistics sector, helping to boost economic growth.

Today also marks the launch of the 2nd window for roadside facility operators to bid for further funding to continue improving lorry roadside facilities across England. The window will close on:- 20 November 2023.

The measure is part of the Government's 33 actions to address the shortage of HGV drivers and boost recruitment and retention.

Roads Minister Richard Holden said:- "Day and night, our lorry drivers and hauliers work tirelessly to deliver essential food, goods and medical supplies up and down the country. As we continue supporting the haulage sector in playing their crucial role in helping to grow the economy, these 1st winners will help ensure lorry drivers have great facilities where they can safely park, sleep and rest."

The scheme draws on:- 'The National Survey on Lorry Parking,' which provides important evidence as to what improvements are needed and where to boost the nation's roadside infrastructure.

With hauliers required to take mandatory breaks and rest periods, building better roadside facilities will improve the quality of HGV drivers' rest and recovery, ensuring everyone can feel safe on our roads.

Britain's roads are already among the safest in the world, and the Government is committed to helping the sector improve driver welfare, boost drivers' security, and continue to guarantee road safety.

In total, both Government and industry will look to spend up to £100 million through to March 2025 to improve lorry roadside facilities for drivers.

Policy director at Logistics UK, Kate Jennings, said:- "This announcement will be welcome news for the professional drivers using the UK's roads network, who are often forced to take legally mandated rest breaks in their cabs, without access to hygiene facilities, due to a chronic lack of welfare provision on key routes. This announcement is a positive step forward and our members operating in England will welcome the planned improvements to accessible facilities for them to access during the course of their working days."

The Government's 33 actions to support Britain's haulage sector include investing £34 million to create up to 11,000 HGV driver training places through Skills Bootcamps, and increasing the number of HGV driver tests by 90% compared to pre-pandemic levels.

Richard Smith, RHA Managing Director, said:- "We are pleased that the 1st tranche of grants has been announced and that lorry drivers will soon benefit from the improvements this scheme is helping to fund. We would encourage other operators to apply for funding to help them upgrade too. Better facilities, and more safe and secure parking for truckers are a key priority for our industry."

Mike Heaton, Head of Estate Development Roadside Services from Certas Energy UK, said:- "Enhancing driver welfare and ensuring that hauliers have somewhere safe, clean and secure to park their vehicles is a leading priority of our business; and the DfT funding is a vital step in giving drivers the facilities they deserve. DfT has Certas Energy's ongoing support on their mission to improve."

Sally Gunnell OBE champions cancer charity Cancer Support UK

OLYMPIC Champion and Health and Wellbeing advocate, Sally Gunnell OBE has announced that she will be supporting national cancer charity Cancer Support UK. Gunnell's work with Cancer Support UK will focus on helping the charity achieve its mission to help those impacted by cancer in the workplace.

"Since my introduction to the excellent work being carried out by Cancer Support UK. I have been impressed by the quality of the services provided and I am now acutely aware of the huge need for people affected by cancer to receive more emotional support. I am therefore delighted to announce my involvement with this important charity. I'am looking forward to using my knowledge, passion and energy to ensure that Cancer Support UK's wonderful vision is achieved..." commented Gunnell,

Cancer Support UK's CEO, Mark Guymer said:- "No 1 should have to face cancer alone and we are immensely grateful to Sally for agreeing to help us raise greater awareness of our services and the help that is available for those impacted by cancer."

Gunnell has become the charity's latest Workplace Cancer Support Ambassador, having undertaken a specialist training session, covering the different aspects of cancer, cancer treatment, side effects and emotional/physical impact. She has joined the growing number of Workplace Cancer Support Ambassadors, developing key skills such as active listening, empathy, and the importance of language. Gunnell said:- "The Workplace Cancer Support Ambassador training I have received will be invaluable, giving me a more profound knowledge of the physical and mental effects of cancer. It also equips me with the confidence to talk to a wide range of audiences about the importance of providing the right levels of support for cancer patients in the workplace."

Achieving sporting success was a tough challenge and Sally attributes this to a hard working ethos and a positive mind set. She now uses her knowledge and experience of fitness, health, self fulfilment and wellbeing to run corporate wellbeing programmes and supports healthy and active family initiatives in the UK.

Sally's passion for mental health and emotional wellbeing is completely aligned with Cancer Support UK's work to support people living with and beyond cancer. Guymer commented:- "Sally's positivity and deep knowledge of health; both physical and mental; will be an enormous asset to our charity. Our joint ambition is to improve the quality of people's lives and to ensure greater understanding and compassion for the significant changes that cancer makes to someone's life. Educating people about the benefits of self-management techniques and the importance of talking to someone who understands what you are going through is vital. Grief, fear, worry, anxiety, stress are all emotions that can be dealt with given the right tools and coping strategies. Whether you are struggling at home post treatment or have returned to work, we want to give you a way forward. Thank you Sally for understanding our cause and for coming on board as our Cancer Champion."

Cancer Support UK's Cancer Coach programme and Workplace Cancer Support training courses focus on supporting the mental health and emotional wellbeing of people facing a personal cancer diagnosis, as well as those caring for a loved 1 with cancer.



If you know someone who has completed their cancer treatment, but who is finding it difficult to face life beyond cancer, please tell them about Cancer Support UK's free Cancer Coach peer support groups. They are available to anyone with a stage 3 and below cancer diagnosis. The course takes participants through a series of weekly facilitated group sessions, run for a 6 week period over the telephone or online video, on:- CancerSupportUK.Org.

Could you become a Workplace Cancer Support Ambassador? Our Workplace Cancer Support Ambassador programme is designed to give employees the confidence and the knowledge to provide emotional support to colleagues in the workplace, who are affected by cancer. For more information, please visit:- CancerSupportUK/Training.