Lack of Truck Parking Spaces Plagues Highways in Lower Saxony - ACE Report
Inadequate truck parking spaces identified in Lower Saxony, according to Autoclub's assessment - Insufficient Parking Spaces Plaguing Lower Saxony, According to AutoClub
Regulating the roadways of Lower Saxony has become a challenge due to the extreme dearth of truck parking spaces. That's according to a nationwide survey conducted by the Auto Club Europa (ACE). The situation is critical, with the occupancy rate during the survey period (April through June) averaging a staggering 150%, making the parking areas overcrowded.
For this survey, volunteers from ACE inspected 13 highway rest areas along the A2 and A7 highways over a period of seven weeks. They visited each parking spot on weekdays from 10:30 pm, counting a total of 690 parking spaces, yet spotting 1,032 parked trucks. Alarmingly, at 77% of the sites, trucks were parked in entrance and exit lanes or on the emergency lane.
The most congested area in Lower Saxony was the Zweidorfer Holz South rest area on the A2 between Peine and Braunschweig, where 195 trucks were crammed into just 94 parking spaces, corresponding to an overfill of 207%. Across Germany, the occupancy rate was 151%. This means that for every 5,088 parking spaces, there were 7,664 parked trucks.
ACE: Avoid overstating isolated findings
While each observation captured solely represented a moment in time, an ACE spokesperson stressed that the overall situation calls for concern. The association advocates for the creation of tens of thousands of additional truck parking spaces nationwide in response. They also emphasize the need to close down particularly risky areas being used as alternative parking spots.
This truck parking predicament in Lower Saxony is part of a broader European issue, as existing rest areas struggle to cater to the high demand from freight drivers seeking rest compliance with EU regulations on driving hours and mandatory rest periods. The lack of truck parking results in difficulties for drivers to find safe and legal spots for rest, contributing to traffic congestion and potential safety hazards on highways.
While efforts are underway to expand and optimize parking facilities, current infrastructure remains inadequate given the growing freight traffic. Technological solutions such as bookable truck parking are being deployed to improve space usage on busy freight corridors. However, experts agree that the situation remains dire, with the ACE survey insights further highlighting the need for immediate action.
- To address the growing issue of overcrowded truck parking spaces on highways in Lower Saxony, vocational training could be implemented for transportation industry professionals to develop innovative solutions for vacant land utilization and effective parking management.
- Collaboration between the finance sector and the automotive industry could result in community policy initiatives aimed at incentivizing businesses to allocate a portion of their land for truck parking, thus alleviating the current shortage and ensuring safety on highways in Lower Saxony.
