Road Haulage Association

New Year and a new coach and lorry park for Birmingham

New Year and a new coach and lorry park for Birmingham

A new dedicated coach and lorry park, serving Birmingham city centre, is now open to hauliers and coach operators, nearly ten years after the closure of the city’s last such dedicated facility.

The new secure park, at Brewery Street will provide 32 coach or lorry spaces, be monitored by CCTV and feature a rest room with hot and cold water, showers and toilets. 

Since the loss of the Masshouse Coach and Lorry Park in 2002, there has been no dedicated long stay coach or lorry parking facility for the City Centre except for limited non-secure coach parking spaces at some attractions and venues.

The design of the facility has taken on board market intelligence on lorry parking collated by the DfT and the West Midlands Freight Quality Partnership, and coach parking information from Birmingham’s main visitor attractions. The coach park will cost £12 for up to 12 hours parking and £15 for 24 hours

RHA Director of Policy, Jack Semple said: “This is good news for the industry, because it meets an urgent need. Safe and secure rest areas are essential for truck drivers who must take regular breaks by law and in the interests of road safety.

“Birmingham has been very poorly served in terms of suitable truck parking, with good driver facilities and also security – crime against the industry is a serious problem, which we are discussing with the police and government. 

“The RHA has worked closely with the West Midlands Freight Quality Partnership over the past few years to identity suitable sites. We applaud Birmingham City Council for taking the issue seriously and hope many more drivers will be able to rest easy.”