New study on the availability of safe and secure parking areas for professional drivers and recommendations for their future development just published. Industry commits with further actions on green truck parking and driver well-being.
ESPORG, the European Secure Truck Parking Organisation, in close partnership with the consortium leader, Panteia, and TIS, has just finalised a study for the European Commission on the availability of suitable rest facilities for professional drivers and of secured parking facilities (SSPAs), as well as on the future development of safe and secure parking facilities in the European Union (MOVE/C1/SER/2023-138).
The main study objectives were to evaluate and assess the availability of SSPAs and to identify measures and recommend strategies to address identified gaps and deficiencies, and increase the number and quality of rest facilities and safe and secure parking areas for professional drivers.
The study was carried out as a direct follow up of the Mobility Package 1 provisions, and notably, Article 8a of Regulation 2020/1054 amending Regulation 561/2006 on driving and rest time rules, requiring the European Commission to present, by 31st of December 2025, a report on the availability of suitable rest facilities for drivers and of secured parking facilities, as well as on the development of safe and secure parking areas certified.
During the study, some 1400 drivers and companies were interviewed, coupled with several dozen advisory board discussions and meetings with key stakeholders, such as drivers, operators, authorities, insurance companies, and shippers on topics such as diversity, innovation, connectivity, crime, illegal immigration, green transition etc.
Dirk Penasse, ESPORG’s General Manager, said: “ESPORG is particularly honoured to have been selected, together with our long-term partners Panteia and TIS, to contribute to this landmark study, which makes a set of recommendations, both soft and legislative, addressed to European institutions, but also to EU Member States and other relevant stakeholders, such as the road transport social partners, to improve the situation in both short- (to 2030) and long- (up until 2040) term.”
The report notably identified that:
- High demand exists across Europe for secure parking, especially in Germany, Belgium, France, Italy, and Spain, whilst a limited supply of adequate facilities and secure parking spaces remains still a significant issue.
- Market growth can be driven by affordable upgrades to existing parking areas, such as moving from bronze to silver comfort and security level, and by making quick improvements at smaller rest areas along motorways. Public funding, particularly for security features, can further accelerate this growth.
- Inclusivity in SSPAs is also critical to diversify driver workforce. Gender-sensitive measures, such as reserved spaces near facilities for female drivers and on-site availability, including at a distance, of security personnel, could further enhance security and comfort, in particular for female drivers.
This study also shows that:
- demand for SSPAs will further increase by 2040. And whilst the currently existing SSPAs supply gap applies to all security levels, there is a need for both more secure parking areas, and also more parking areas in general.
- The supply gap exists throughout the European Union, although the scale varies by region and by Member State.
- Despite continued investments in upgrading existing facilities and developing new ones, the demand-supply gap is unlikely to be filled by 2040. However, incorporating the certification of currently non-certified parking areas with security elements could help narrow the gap. Many of these parking areas already include security features that may qualify them for bronze or silver certification with minimal additional effort.
- At present, there are insufficient overnight facilities in the vicinity of secure parking areas. Where overnight options do exist, they often do not meet the budget or needs of truck drivers.
- Existing data on transport-related crime and incidents are scarce. Better data is needed to correctly determine the required security level for a parking area.
Dirk Penasse, therefore, concluded: “Next to the need of EU co-funding for SSPAs, which we expect to continue on in subsequent years, the sector itself is ready and willing to further invest in SSPAs, to improve driver security, comfort and well-being, thus contributing to significantly reverse and even reduce the current ever-widening driver shortage. At ESPORG, we have just launched two key initiatives, namely, to define and propose voluntary green standards for safe and secure truck parking areas, coupled with a strategic long-term pledge and campaign on driver well-being, to which some 30 partners have already signed.”
Read the full final report and annexes (including mapping demand-supply gap analysis as well as the stakeholder consultation report) from the Study on Safe and Secure Parking Areas via the Study website by using this link: https://move-c1-ser-2023-138.eu-study.eu.
Results from the first study (MOVE/C1/2017-500) can also be accessed via the site: https://move-c1-2017-500.eu-study.eu.
