Motorists should be able to stop for more than two hours without being punished
TIRED drivers should not have to pay to take a vital and life-saving rest at motorway service stations, and a road safety charity has backed the warning.
David Davies and the Institute of Advanced Motorists have hit out at charges imposed by private firms on motorists who stop for more than two hours to avoid falling asleep at the wheel.
Mr Davies has teamed up with the IAM to call on the government to change its policy on the two-hour free parking limit, which service station operators have to comply with.
The Monmouth MP, who previously worked in the haulage industry as a continental lorry driver, wants longer hours set before parking charges apply. He argues that drivers should be allowed to rest properly instead of opting to go back on the road to avoid having to pay hefty fees.
“Charging large amounts of money to park could be increasing the risk of accidents caused by driver fatigue,” said Mr Davies.
“This is profiteering plain and simple. There is no justification whatsoever for making a charge. It is bad enough that motorists pay over the odds to buy a coffee or snack at a service station without the worry of paying vast charges for taking forty winks.
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