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Written Question
HGV Parking and Driver Welfare Grant Scheme
Wednesday 25th March 2026

Asked by: Ben Lake (Plaid Cymru - Ceredigion Preseli)

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, i) how much funding in total was granted to applicants to the HGV parking and driver welfare grant scheme ii) how much of this funding came directly from matched funding from the Department for Transport and iii) whether the department plans to re-open the scheme for further applications.

Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

The total amount of government funding contractually committed to improvement projects for the HGV Parking Matched Funding Grant Scheme, as of 19 March 2026, is £13,599,303.45.

The scheme held three application windows. The table below sets out awards and spending to date per window as of 19 March 2026. Projects that were cancelled by operators after notification of an award are not included in these figures.

Application window opened

Total awarded

Total - spend to date

Window 1 - Nov 2022

£5,427,497.05

£4,754,717.54

Window 2 - Sept 2023

£4,778,778.09

£4,335,848.03

Window 3 - May 2024

£3,393,028.31

£1,852,762.51

Overall MFGS

£13,599,303.45

£10,943,328.08

There are no plans for further windows of the HGV Parking and Driver Welfare Matched Funding Scheme.

Funding for further lorry parking improvements is planned for the third road investment strategy (RIS3) as part of the Customer and Community Designated Funds, subject to confirmation of the National Highways RIS3 settlement.


Written Question
Large Goods Vehicle Drivers: Facilities
Wednesday 25th March 2026

Asked by: Ben Lake (Plaid Cymru - Ceredigion Preseli)

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what plans her department has to ensure that the road safety strategy includes provisions to support lorry driver welfare.

Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

On 7 January 2026 the Department for Transport published the Government’s new Road Safety Strategy, setting out our vision for a safer future on our roads for all. The Strategy sets an ambitious target to reduce the number of people killed or seriously injured on British roads by 65% by 2035.

The Government expects the employers or engagers of anyone driving or riding for work to ensure that they are as safe as possible on the roads. Working with industry we will pilot a National Work-Related Road Safety Charter for businesses that require people to drive or ride for them, including considering the use of HGVs. The Charter will aim to help employers to reduce work-related road risk and improve safety for all road users by promoting good practice, and to improve compliance with current legislation and guidance.


Speech in Commons Chamber - Tue 24 Mar 2026
Middle East: Economic Update

"What contingency planning is taking place to support non-domestic energy bills, especially in rural areas such as mine where a great number of small businesses and community organisations rely on heating oil and LPG?..."
Ben Lake - View Speech

View all Ben Lake (PC - Ceredigion Preseli) contributions to the debate on: Middle East: Economic Update

Division Vote (Commons)
24 Mar 2026 - Oil and Gas - View Vote Context
Ben Lake (PC) voted No - in line with the party majority and in line with the House
One of 3 Plaid Cymru No votes vs 0 Plaid Cymru Aye votes
Vote Tally: Ayes - 108 Noes - 297
Written Question
Motorway Service Areas: Security
Tuesday 24th March 2026

Asked by: Ben Lake (Plaid Cymru - Ceredigion Preseli)

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what proportion of i) truck stops and ii) Motorway service areas have received any non self-certified security accreditation.

Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

The Government does not operate a mandated or voluntary lorry parking security accreditation system. Trucks stops and Motorway Service Areas set their own security standards unless they voluntarily join a private accreditation scheme. Therefore, the Department for Transport does not hold this information.


Division Vote (Commons)
23 Mar 2026 - National Insurance Contributions (Employer Pensions Contributions) Bill - View Vote Context
Ben Lake (PC) voted No - in line with the party majority and against the House
One of 3 Plaid Cymru No votes vs 0 Plaid Cymru Aye votes
Vote Tally: Ayes - 278 Noes - 164
Division Vote (Commons)
23 Mar 2026 - National Insurance Contributions (Employer Pensions Contributions) Bill - View Vote Context
Ben Lake (PC) voted No - in line with the party majority and against the House
One of 2 Plaid Cymru No votes vs 0 Plaid Cymru Aye votes
Vote Tally: Ayes - 280 Noes - 161
Division Vote (Commons)
23 Mar 2026 - National Insurance Contributions (Employer Pensions Contributions) Bill - View Vote Context
Ben Lake (PC) voted No - in line with the party majority and against the House
One of 3 Plaid Cymru No votes vs 0 Plaid Cymru Aye votes
Vote Tally: Ayes - 280 Noes - 164
Division Vote (Commons)
23 Mar 2026 - National Insurance Contributions (Employer Pensions Contributions) Bill - View Vote Context
Ben Lake (PC) voted No - in line with the party majority and against the House
One of 3 Plaid Cymru No votes vs 0 Plaid Cymru Aye votes
Vote Tally: Ayes - 279 Noes - 167
Division Vote (Commons)
23 Mar 2026 - National Insurance Contributions (Employer Pensions Contributions) Bill - View Vote Context
Ben Lake (PC) voted No - in line with the party majority and against the House
One of 3 Plaid Cymru No votes vs 0 Plaid Cymru Aye votes
Vote Tally: Ayes - 281 Noes - 167