The future of truckstop facilities is revealed near Tewkesbury

Gloucestershire transport company William Gilder has revealed the future of truck stops. It is about to open a facility at Teddington near Ashchurch, Tewkesbury which will offer a safe and secure facility for the tens of thousands of lorry drivers who deliver our food and other goods across the UK every day of the week.

The Teddington Truck stop, an attractive, landscaped new facility just off Junction 9 of the M5, on a site which also houses William Gilder's head office, also offers drivers showers, laundry facilities, a bunkered fuel service and a licensed restaurant in a smart new restaurant. In all the development, including the company's head office, is estimated to have cost around £2 million.

Late last year the government promised up to £100 million to help the HGV industry improve the UK’s roadside facilities, and this is the first of four truck stops in the region that William Gilder hopes to build – others are planned for Evesham, Cirencester and Avonmouth near Bristol. The company has applied for funding but has yet to receive confirmation that it has been successful.

At the announcement of the £100 million last November, roads minister Richard Holden said: “Hauliers and drivers are critical to keep our economy motoring. But for decades, our truckers have had a raw deal when it comes to decent roadside facilities.

“This is why I’m proud that our government is going to provide match funding support to the industry to boost drivers’ welfare, safeguard road safety and make sure driving an HGV is a really attractive career option by providing the facilities and respect our lorry drivers deserve.”

Director at William Gilder Group, Mark Fowles, said “Everyone relies on our lorry drivers, but few appreciate how the goods gets to where they’re needed, or the infrastructure required to support that, as well as offering a safe environment for drivers.

"Other than truckstops, the alternative is often an open layby. We wanted to offer all the provisions and security; all the things that people don’t appreciate that lorry drivers need – but do.”

The new restaurant also has a large mezzanine floor upstairs which Mark hopes can be put to use by the local community.

“We are a family business and William Gilder, the founder, farms nearby,” added Mark. “We also plan to put our locally-reared beef on the restaurant menu.”

William Gilder started the business in 1985 as an agricultural contractor. Since then the business has grown to include road haulage, waste management and – more recently – development.

The Teddington Truckstop will be open shortly and the company will use this as a blueprint when it progresses plans to build truckstops at Evesham and Cirencester, which are both still going through the planning process.