Site 'honoured' to be named truckstop of the year
BBCA site in Kent has been named the best truckstop of the year out of more than 200 nominations from HGV drivers.
Ashford International Truckstop has given the title by business group Logistics UK's.
Drivers judged facilities on factors including security, lighting, food availability and value for money, with Ashford selected as the overall winner from six shortlisted sites.
Darren Smith, operations director at Ashford International Truckstop, said the team behind the site was "honoured" and that the news was "quite a surprise".
He added: "To win an award like this, of such a well recognised part of the logistics industry, is amazing."
When the site opened in 2021 it was believed to be Europe's largest truckstop with capacity for 650 HGVs.
Business group Logistics UK is using the award to highlight what it calls a "national shortage of safe and secure" places for lorries to park.
The organisation is calling for a national review of rest facilities and truck stops to be routinely included in planning frameworks.
Phil Roe, president of Logistics UK, said: "Professional drivers are the backbone of the UK economy, and truck stops provide an invaluable service as they keep goods moving around the country.
"Ashford International is a deserving winner, but facilities of this standard are still too often the exception rather than the rule."
The Department for Transport said it was "vital" that lorry drivers had access to safe and secure roadside facilities.
"That's why we're investing up to £35.7 million with industry partners to help provide drivers with safer places to rest and support the movement of goods across the country, while we are currently surveying the availability and quality of truck stops across England," added a spokesperson.
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