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TheStop at The Hollies re-affirms exclusive status with successful Safer Parking Freight reaccreditation

TheStop at The Hollies, has successfully maintained its exclusive status by passing its rigorous reassessment for the prestigious Safer Parking Freight Award.

Strategically located just off Junction 12 of the M6, the historic Staffordshire site - celebrated as the UK’s oldest truck stop - was one of the very first facilities in the country to achieve this high-level, police-recognised accreditation, formerly known as the Park Mark Freight Award.

Safer Parking Freight is a comprehensive assessment specifically for lorry parks and truck stops, developed in response to the rise in cargo theft in recent years and the Department for Transport's policies for improving roadside facilities for drivers. Expectations for efficient, well managed and high quality lorry parks and truck stops are increasing the demand for services that are pleasant to use but secure enough to combat vehicle and cargo crime.

The successful reassessment independently validates Certas Energy’s unwavering, long-term commitment to driver welfare, robust cargo security, and flawless site management.

To retain the Safer Parking Freight Award, The Hollies underwent comprehensive, on-site risk assessments. Standing as a secure sanctuary in a high-risk transport corridor, the site’s protective infrastructure continues to meet the highest industry and police standards.

The 24/7 site infrastructure boasts:

  • Secure Parking: 230 heavily secure, dedicated HGV parking spaces available every night
  • Constant Vigilance: Around-the-clock CCTV monitoring coupled with dedicated on-site security guards
  • Premium Driver Facilities: A 15-room hotel, high-spec washrooms, a laundrette, a café, a bar, a gaming area, a truck wash, and a high-speed HGV refuelling bunker

Safer Parking Area Manager Matt Robinson said: "Upholding these rigorous standards takes immense dedication. The successful reassessment of The Hollies demonstrates the ongoing value of the roadside facilities on offer and how central both driver welfare and site security remain to Certas Energy. By successfully maintaining its Safer Parking Freight status, The Hollies Truckstop continues to set the standard for national freight security, protecting drivers and their cargo.”

Mike Heaton, Head of Estate Development at Certas Energy, said: "The Hollies is the oldest truck stop in the country and continues to set the standard for all the rest. We've listened to the drivers who visit us and invested in improved facilities and security measures that ensures the modern-day Hollies suits their needs, as well as reflects their concerns.

"Top of that list is always driver safety and security, with the new measures including ANPR and CCTV cameras, LED floodlights, security fencing, exit barriers, and Security Officers with body cameras.

"Recognition through the Safer Parking Freight status is a stamp of quality and shows how highly we place the welfare and security of every driver who visits us.”

Find out more about Safer Parking Freight here.