Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Flexible and made to last.

Meet the Other Phone.
Flexible and made to last.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to not want HGVs parked up on my street all night?

26 replies

bimandbam · 08/03/2015 21:23

I am prepared to be told I am.

We live on a newish estate. Across the road is some land that hasn't been built on yet. At the very bottom of our road is a factory entrance though the actual factory is set quite far down the drive.

We are off a busy A road that leads to a big industrial estate with various call centres and businesses on it. About 4 miles to the motorway. Services both directions within a couple of junctions. Big lorry park on the outskirts of town.

Just about every night between 8pm and 11pm at least one lorry pulls up and parks up for the night. Sometimes it is 2 or 3. Usually they don't park outside the houses but a few times they are parked bang across the road. Half on the pavement.

I don't know why it bothers me but it does. aibu to be annoyed about it. I suppose I feel a little like they are invading our privacy when they are across the road. I have to shut the living room curtains to bf as they are so high in the cabs they look straight in. But other than that I don't know why it bugs me.

OP posts:
ChantenayCarrot1 · 08/03/2015 21:35

Unless there is an overnight weight ban, there's not an awful lot you can do really eg - the info from one London Boro' website is below. I appreciate you may not live in London but the same principal generally applies.

Parking on the footway is dangerous and causes damage - I imagine you could complain about that but it still wont stop them parking in your road.

I wonder why they don't use the lorry park? Is it more convenient for them to park on your road?

Overnight parking ban 6.30pm–8am

Throughout the borough, goods vehicles of more than 5 tonnes gross vehicle weight and vehicles with more than 12 passenger seats are banned from parking on the public highway overnight.

wowfudge · 08/03/2015 21:37

Contact the council to establish whether they are legally parking up there.

DancingHat · 08/03/2015 21:38

You could ask your local council for an HGV ban (except for access) that covers your road so lorry drivers know not to turn up your street?

Original poster
bimandbam · 08/03/2015 21:46

I was wondering that DancingHat. I suppose I need to ring them and find out more. There would need to be access for the factory but they open 8am to 5pm so not a problem.

I suspect that they use our road rather than the lorry park as it leads to the big industrial estate they are probably delivering to. The lorry park is a few miles away. And there is a parade of shops, a pub and a good few takeaways within walking distance. So they have amenities to hand.

One has just gone down the road now ironically. And will probably reverse back out at 7.01am exactly.

OP posts:
IreneA78 · 08/03/2015 21:46

But they are there for access? As I read it, the factory entrance is down their road.
They all want to be first unloaded in the morning at the factory so that they don't get behind.Lorry drivers are usually under immense pressure from their bosses

Original poster
bimandbam · 08/03/2015 21:50

Not for access to the factory Irene78. I see the factory gates open as we leave for school and never seen one go in.

I do feel sorry for the drivers. It's a pretty shit job and must be rubbish kipping in a cab all night. But there are specific areas they can park in quite nearby. So I don't think they should be parking in a residential area.

OP posts:
MrsMinton · 08/03/2015 21:50

It may be that the lorry park is full and this is their only option. There are very limited places a lorry can park with facilities and they fill up very quickly.
Most drivers wouldn't choose to park where there are no food or toilets but often don't have a choice. Like Irene said too, they are under a lot of pressure to be tipped and gone.

wheresthelight · 08/03/2015 21:52

they don't use lorry parks because they cost money and most drivers are nit given enough of an allowance by their companies to cover the cost unfortunately (I work in transport and logistics)

just be very careful not to approach the drivers op as ime they can be very unsavoury when challenged and definitely do not go near any pop bottles, carrier bags or other containers that get left behind. speak to your local council and environmental health as the contents of said containers will contain all manner of bodily fluids and excrement.

MrsMinton · 08/03/2015 21:55

It's not just cost it's lack of physical space too. In some areas there are no official places to park.

ginmakesitallok · 08/03/2015 21:56

Wheresthelight - generalisation???? I know quite a few lorry drivers, and none of them are unsavoury! And none of them shit in bags either. I don't know which company you work for, but you're talking through your arse.

BikketBikketBikket · 08/03/2015 21:57

When the pub behind my house was demolished, lorries began to park right on the other side of my garden fence - and could overlook my bedroom. I contacted the Police non-emergency number, and they disappeared as if by magic... Smile

Original poster
bimandbam · 08/03/2015 22:01

now I really don't want them there wheresthelight. Boak.

There is usually a bit of rubbish dumped too.

I am going to ring the council tomorrow.

OP posts:
Smarterthantheaveragebeaver · 08/03/2015 22:08

Count your blessings, OP. At least its only truckers, who basically park up to go to sleep for one night, and not itinerant groups of families with caravans, incessantly barking dogs, noisy unruly children who are shouting at all hours of the day and night, use bushes as lavatories, start bonfires,make threats, steal washing off your line and usually stay far longer.

Purplepoodle · 08/03/2015 22:11

most won't use lorry parks as they cost ££ which isn't paid for by the company plus they can be rife with thieves. If your concerned ring the police - usually they will come out and have a chat with the drivers and if they are parked illegally then they will be moved on. They are probably parked there because of waste ground and the fact it's an industrial estate. Hgv drivers have limited driving time so they try and get near as they can to their pickup/drop off before having to take their 9 hours off. Time is money.

Most Wouldnt park near houses though, especially if they have fridges on as they are noisy

wheresthelight · 08/03/2015 22:17

ginmake not talking out my arse at all thanks. I have walked down through industrial estates to get to work for years and watched lorry drivers lob shit filled bags and piss filled bottles out their cabs thanks. and an awful lot of them can be unsavoury.

just because you know a few decent ones (as do I) there are also an awful lot who are disgusting

Tutt · 08/03/2015 22:21

Lorry parks are paid by the company they work for PLUS drivers get an allowence of £26.20 for overnight so the money side isn't true.
As for the awful genaralisation above well take no notice, the chaps that work for us (loads of them, I work in HGV ) are nice regular men, who are clean and friendly.
There are many reasons they might park there, habit as I presume the factory was there before your house, to unload as said above earlier, they might have run out of driving time which means big fines even for minutes.
Again as said above the majority and all the guys I know wouldn't choose to park on a residentual road unless they have to.

Check with the council.

Viviennemary · 08/03/2015 22:28

I agree with checking with the council. There are quite strict rules re lorries parking up overnight. It could well be they're parked illegally.

Bluetone · 08/03/2015 22:29

Sounds like my street. There is a bit of an issue as the lorry drivers are pissing in bottles and leaving leave at the side of the pavement. It's fucking vile. They are illegally parking and ironically straight across from the police station. ..

Original poster
bimandbam · 09/03/2015 06:19

tutt they could park a couple of miles away on the industrial estate which wouldn't be outside anyone's house. I think they park there because there is the takeaways and the Kfc across the way.

I do sometimes feel sorry for them and they are probably lovely people. But I don't want dd finding a bag of shit or a bottle of piss outside our house.

And I just feel funny about it to be honest. One was parked up from Friday night until at least 4pm on Saturday. Most have international plates on and I wonder if maybe there are differences as to what they can do in the rest of Europe compared with the UK.

And if haulage companies think they can save a few Quid by drivers parking up on residential streets compares to lorry parks then obviously they won't say anything to them. It can't be very nice for the drivers not having facilities other than a takeaway to use.

OP posts:
paxtecum · 09/03/2015 07:27

In support of Wheresthelight, I ended up in the lorry park on a Motorway service station. It stank of pee and there were many human turds lying around.

Some lorry drivers are gross.

Rjae · 09/03/2015 08:21

Contact the owners of the lorries if their logo is on the lorry and complain.
Contact your local council as there is often a bylaw forbidding this type of parking.

Totally not bU

Notanothernick · 09/03/2015 11:23

Many haulage companies do not pay for use of lorry parks / services for parking up. The majority of lorry drivers are so poorly paid that they need their night out pittance to live on.
Haulage companies are a disgrace as a rule. Drivers have paid to qualify, take on huge responsibility and work very anti social hours as we as being away from family and unpredictable start and finish times. It can be a miserable job and I really don't see what your problem is OP? They don't appear to have actually 'done' anything to you. I very much doubt they will be interested in looking into your house Hmm more likely to eat and get as much sleep as they can.
If they are causing you a genuine problem, call the company and complain.

Purplepoodle · 09/03/2015 11:39

It's one of hose things were the gross minority spoil it for the normal majority. International drivers often don't give a hoot. Family member has been lorry driver for years. Now a days it's not well paid - some are on minimum wage - foreign nationals are happy to work for lower wage. Smaller hgv companies will NOT pay for lorry parks so driver has to pay out of his own pocket.

Purplepoodle · 09/03/2015 11:41

As said ring police and they will have a chat with parked drivers. Talking tonthese yourself won't get u anywhere as they probably won't move if they have parked for he night and out of time

RaptorInaPorkPieHat · 09/03/2015 12:01

Chances are, as it's a newish housing estate these are drivers that have parked there for years with no issues. It's a shame for the drivers as they will no doubt get moved on and have to find somewhere else (not that I'm saying it's any fun for the OP either).

My dad was a lorry driver for many years and he would often complain about finding somewhere decent to park. Lorry drivers do prefer to park in proper lorry parks with facilities and security, but sometimes they can't for whatever reason (places are full, or they've run out of driving hours) and they run the risk of being attacked when people try to nick the diesel. It's not a pleasant life.

If there's a KFC across the road it reduces the likelihood of the bottles of piss etc.