A plan to invest DKK 200 million (almost €27 million) on rest stops in Denmark is to debated in the Danish Parliament. ITD, the Industry Organisation for Danish road freight, have understandably given a strong backing to the proposals.
The proposal has come from Denmark’s Liberal Party, who are currently in opposition. However, there appears to be genuine optimism that the Danish Parliament will vote in favour of the plan.
Kristian Pihl Lorentzen, a representative of the party, explained on Facebook that the investment is required as a lack of toilets is leaving rest areas a mess. Pihl Lorentzen said the party wants more rest stops built, and current rest stops to be upgraded with more parking spaces, toilets and seating areas among other things.
Carina Christensen, CEO director of ITD, has described the plans as “incredibly positive”:
It is incredibly positive that our great desire for more rest areas thanks to the Liberal Party is now coming directly to the negotiating table. Now we hope that the other parties support the reasonable wish. DKK 200 million is a really good pool, which can finance over 400 much-needed extra parking spaces for trucks and at the same time upgrade the conditions in the area, so that those who keep Denmark running also have proper conditions when they rest.
In a statement, ITD said it had campaigned for extra parking spaces for some time, as the current shortage “presents drivers with a completely unreasonable choice between risking a parking fee or a violating driving and rest times.”
The Danish Road Directorate, which is responsible for Denmark’s roads, has also repeatedly highlighted the lack of rest areas along the motorway network and prepared concrete proposals for how the number can be expanded in an effective way.
In 2018, the Danish Road Directorate estimated that the capacity of 21 rest areas along Denmark’s motorway network could potentially be doubled at the cost of approximately DKK 180 million.
Photo credit: Poul Krogsgård / Wikimedia Commons