Road User Voice – August 2016 – Action needed to improve England’s roadside facilities

29 July 2016

Lorry drivers have said their needs are not being fully met by roadside facilities in England.

They are also struggling to find space to park at the places and times they need to stop.

Car drivers are broadly satisfied with services on motorways, but are less happy with services on major ‘A’ roads.

Better roadside facilities, with more spaces for HGV vehicles, will make roads safer for all users. It will help to ensure people don’t drive tired, don’t stop unnecessarily on the hard shoulder and don’t run out of fuel. All factors which contribute to accidents causing injury or worse.

These are the findings of new road user research. A wide variety of road users, including car, lorry and coach drivers, as well as motorcyclists and disabled people, were asked their views on roadside facilities.

The research found that:

• People’s needs are largely functional. They want to be able to use the toilet, buy a hot drink, sandwich and fuel. These needs are generally being met at motorway services, but concerns were raised about the cleanliness of toilets and the cost of fuel, food and drink.
• In contrast to motorways, people aren’t confident that even their most basic needs will be met at services on Highways England’s ‘A’ roads. They talked about the inconsistent quality they found at these services.

Transport Focus will use this research to work with Highways England, government and services operators to address the issues highlighted.

Click the link below to download the report.
Take a break – Road users’ views about roadside facilities

 

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