The shortage of safe truck parking spaces in Europe is growing, while solutions have been waiting for years. In a joint letter, the International Road Transport Union (IRU), the European Transport Workers' Federation, and the European Secure Parking Organisation draw the attention of Vice-President of the Commission, Roxana Mînzatu. They urge the European Commission to urgently accelerate development.
Joint Appeal to the Commission
The three major industry organizations are demanding concrete steps to create new parking spaces and to modernize existing facilities. The background is a joint inspection of parking facilities in Belgium, which Mînzatu
attended in early September.
Deficit Continues to Grow
According to the associations, there are currently around 390,000 safe truck parking spaces missing in the European Union. By 2040, the deficit is expected to rise to 483,000. This shortfall endangers not only the well-being of drivers but also the stability of supply chains and the functioning of the internal market, the letter says.
Two Central Obstacles
The organizations see two causes that slow the expansion. On one hand, complicated local permitting procedures hinder timely implementation. On the other hand, there is a lack of long-term secured
financing.
“The need is urgent, the solutions are clear, and the time to act is now,” IRU EU Director Raluca Marian said.
Demands on Brussels and the Member States
According to the associations' wishes, the Commission should work closely with the member states. It is necessary to clearly prioritize parking spaces in spatial planning, simplify permitting procedures, and involve local residents in the projects. In addition, the EU must provide multi-year funding, for example through the next round of the Connecting Europe Facility funding program. National and private investments are indispensable as a complement.
Importance
for the Industry
The three organizations emphasize that without coordinated financing it will not be possible to close the gap between demand and supply. Expanding safe truck parking spaces is essential to improve drivers' working conditions and at the same time ensure supply security.
Broad Unity
The joint initiative is seen as a signal that companies, workers, and infrastructure operators are drawing closer on this issue. This increases pressure on the European Commission to take the next steps. Whether the proposals will be taken into account in the upcoming budget plans will become clear in
