Sheerness charges £25 overnight • Hauliers parking vehicles overnight at
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Sheerness Docks now face a £25 (ex-VAT) charge or eviction from the site. The ruling comes from Medway Ports, which says: "Because of the recent increase in overnight parking in the port and the lack of space available, the overnight parking charge will be applied to all freight vehicles and trailers." Security site supervisor Carl Davies says there has always been a parking fee but it is only now being enforced. He adds: "We have a lot of customers paying rent for parking spaces and they have lately been unable to find space because of non-payers. We've turned a blind eye up until now, but money talks." The charge applies between 22:0006:00hrs.
Li UK truckstops which charge drivers to park even if they eat a meal or buy diesel have again come in for criticism. BP Truckstops charge £7 for overnight parking in the UK, but BP Truckstops on the Continent otter tree parking to customers who buy a meal or fuel.
A BP spokesman says the £7 charge includes a £2 meal voucher, a shower worth £2, and £4 off the price of a room. "In effect we're paying them a pound to stay at our truckstops," he says, adding that truckstops abroad believe the cost of transport is so high that parking fees would not be tolerated.