Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent discussions she has had with the haulage sector on the safety of drivers using overnight facilities.

Department for Transport ministers and officials hold regular discussions with representatives from the logistics and haulage industry to understand the sector’s priorities, including the safety of drivers and overnight facilities.

Recent engagement with the sector includes the Road Haulage Association’s (RHA) parliamentary reception on the 10 February, where I met with industry representatives and heard about their concerns, including the safety of drivers.

I also chaired the Freight Council on the 11 February where industry representatives had the opportunity to raise concerns, including the safety of HGV drivers using overnight facilities.

More recently, on the 25 February I jointly hosted a freight roundtable with the Minister for Policing and Crime, which was attended by haulage sector, trade bodies and police representatives. Both the Minister for Policing and Crime and I heard directly from the sector on their concerns relating to freight crime, including at overnight HGV parking facilities.