Feasibility study for lorry park carried at council meeting

On December 19, a motion proposed by Cllr Simon Minas-Bound and Cllr John Izett, detailed that the lack of overnight parking for lorries had led to safety, welfare and crime concerns, with many being forced to park in laybys around the borough, with no facilities.

The ‘infrastructure gap’ was debated by councillors as to where a dedicated lorry park could be located, and whether this could reduce the likelihood of motorway services being created at Junction 6.

Cllr Minas-Bound said: “Basingstoke is a key logistics hub, but we haven’t kept pace with the infrastructure that supports it. A properly planned lorry park would help local businesses, improve safety, reduce crime and take pressure off our lay-bys and residential roads.

“If we want safe roads, then we need rested drivers. They need somewhere to descend, not a grass verge at 2am. We should provide the supporting infrastructure. We cannot complain about lorries in unsuitable places if we are refusing to provide a suitable place for them to go.”

Lorry parked in a layby (Image: Unsplash)

“We can reduce the risk of a large motorway service area being forced onto Junction 6 and make sure any solution works for our communities as well as the economy.”

The nearest lorry parks are currently Fleet and Southampton.

Cllr Izett added: “The draft local plan acknowledges the critical shortage of HGV parking, a shortage that is forecast to increase. It would reduce illegal verge parking and reduce the number of lorries passing through the town.

“A dedicated lorry park offers a sensible balance - giving drivers a safe place to rest while protecting neighbourhoods and keeping roads moving.”

Cllr Andy Konieczko was happy to support the motion, but added that there aren’t enough brownfield spaces, and the proposal could wait until the council inherits Hampshire County Council’s land after Local Government Reorganisation. However, he said this land would likely be used for houses.

Cllr Alex Lee pointed out that the feasibility study would need to detail how drivers will access the park so as not to displace HGVs onto local roads.

He said: “The study should not assume a single site as the answer; it may be that a range of options deliver better outcomes and fewer impacts.

"Six months reporting timeline is sensible but not an implied commitment to a particular solution.”

Concerned about Junction 6, Cllr Andy McCormick said: “The only thing I would say about this motion saying 'we don't want a lorry park near Junction 6' we do have a light planning application for a service station at Junction 6 so be careful what you wish for. This might meet the demand for overnight parking."

He pointed out other places in the South could be better suited, even Junction 7, 'where there is land that was once used for travellers'.

A vote for the feasibility study took place, with 35 voting in favour and 8 abstaining.

The motion was carried.