A spokeswoman for Granada says contracting out security would not
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increase parking fees. And she stressed: "We believe it will vastly improve security." What disturbs hauliers most is they have little choice but to use truckstops if drivers are to keep within their hours. But they often get little in return, says Brunt: "Granada charges £10 a night. That's £.10 a night, five nights a weeks for up to 26 vehicles. Over 12 months that's a lot of money."
Brunt has banned drivers from using some truckstops known to carry a high risk and insists the problem is "definitely getting worse and there's nothing we can do".
It's a gloomy outlook shared by Ken Jeavons of West Midlands firm Jeavons Transport, who says damage to vehicles parked at truckstops is something few hauliers have escaped. "I would say that nearly every time we use a truckstop we have a curtainsider slashed," he says, "and our insurance premiums just keep going up and up. We have had to fit anti-theft devices to all our 20 curtainsided vehicles."
Such is the risk that Jeavons now tries to ensure as many vehicles as possible return to base rather than stop out. Other firms issue drivers with guidelines on how to limit the chance of damage. Many drivers with empty trailers are encouraged to park with their doors open so would-be crooks don't bother to slash the curtains. Parking trucks close together can also mg • s we -1 areas may also act as a deterrent.
But many truckstops insist they are doing all they can to protect hauliers' vehicles. Stan Howes is an ex-driver who is now general manager at the TR Truckstop at Bootle, Liverpool. Last November the business changed hands and the new management immediately introduced a series of tight security measures.
During the week, the parking area is supervised from 4pm through to 8am by two security guards working in shifts. To prevent anyone who is not using the premises from gaining entry, an entrance barrier is lowered in the evening or the main gates locked. At the weekends, the security patrols are extended to 24 hours.
The increased overheads have meant higher charges—drivers pay E7 a night instead of Q. Howes admits regular users were far from happy when prices went up, especially as many are drivers from Ireland waiting for a sailing home. "Their argument was they do not pay at truckstops on the Continent so why should they pay here," he says. Howes insists it's a price well worth paying. He claims there have been no cases of damage to vehicles since security was tightened.
Some truckstop owners allege hauliers not only have a poor understanding of what's involved in making premises secure but make the danger worse by insisting on cheaper curtainsiders rather than rigid trailers.
Stuart Wardell, a partner in Whitwood Truckstop at Castleford, West Yorkshire, admits damage and theft involving parked trucks is a problem from time to time. He says: "We have a 3.5-acre site with four boundaries—a main estate road, a six foot high fence, a dyke and a service road—and get up to 130 HGVs parking overnight. Hauliers have got to realise that curtainsiders do not offer any form of security."
The question on most truckstop owners' lips is—would the haulage industry really be prepared to pay for the security it wants? Wardell doubts it: "We have been in business 14 years and increased our parking fee just E1 in that time—and people still say it's too bloody much." Tips on securing your vehicle overnight: • If the trailer is empty, consider parking with the back doors open to deter would-be crooks; • Park as close as possible to other trucks to restrict access to the side of the vehicle; • Try and pick well-lit areas; • Ensure your own safety. If you stumble on raiders, do not challenge them.