Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether the Department has identified any (a) underspends, (b) extensions and (c) project delays in the delivery of funding under the HGV Parking and Driver Welfare Fund.

Through the HGV parking and driver welfare grant scheme the Department and industry partners are projected to deliver up to £35.7m of joint investment to enhance truck stops across England. This significant investment is in addition to joint investment by National Highways and industry of up to a further £30 million, aimed at improving lorry parking facilities along the strategic road network.

There has been no reduction in the government funding awarded through the scheme. Some operators who were awarded grants have, for a range of business and operational reasons beyond the government’s control, subsequently decided not to proceed with developments or reduced the scope of their projects.

Some of the reasons operators have given have been revisions to their projects’ scope, change of ownership, restructure at board level, financial difficulties and planning permission being denied for their works.

All applications that met the scheme’s criteria were approved funding by the DfT HGV Match Funding Grant Scheme. The scheme has been extended until March 2026 to allow more time for projects to be completed.