In the original tweet that prompted the debate, BCH Road Policing Unit posted the above photo of the offending HGV, which appears to be hauling a blue trailer belonging to a major UK parcel courier firm.
Greetings from RPU South.
Lots of RTCs on the M1 this evening, most due to lack of attention in traffic.
Blocking the hard shoulder to take a rest like this HGV only serves to delay our attendance at scene and puts lives at risk.
The hard shoulder is not a lay-by.
Reported
411729 pic.twitter.com/s4QtyTVFEl— BCH Road Policing Unit (@roadpoliceBCH) December 15, 2022
The tweet was accompanied with the following text:
“Greetings from RPU South. Lots of RTCs on the M1 this evening, most due to lack of attention in traffic. Blocking the hard shoulder to take a rest like this HGV only serves to delay our attendance at scene and puts lives at risk. The hard shoulder is not a lay-by. Reported.”
In the comments section below the tweet, Phoenix Specialist Logistics Ltd offered the opinion that such parking offences would not happen if the UK’s HGV parking situation was significantly better.
The Essex-based transport firm’s twitter profile wrote:
“Maybe if there was plenty more areas to have a break that’s not overrun with Eastern European drivers or ind estates that you don’t get a parking ticket on, maybe we wouldn’t need to stop in silly places …….central London also do not accommodate for HGVs. Facilities needed now.”
BCH Road Policing Unit nonetheless strongly stated that in its opinion, the lack of parking capacity is not a valid excuse.
In reply to Phoenix Specialist Logistics’ tweet, BCH Road Policing Unit wrote:
“There’s silly, and then there’s dangerous. Try using that argument when you’ve caused a serious or fatal RTC because it was convenient for you to park dangerous place. Plenty of professional drivers manage their time effectively without putting others at risk.”