Bp Archerfield in Queensland recently let customers know that it will begin towing illegally parked vehicles and unhitched trailers from October 1 – and bp has informed Big Rigs that this is part of a broader crackdown on parking violations.
Thomas Gilmour, Dealer & Truckstop Key Account Lead at bp, said the Archerfield site has been chosen as a starting point for two main reasons.
“Queensland legislation supports the towing of illegally parked vehicles and unhitched trailers,” he said.
“Archerfield is one of our most significantly impacted sites in relation to this issue, so it ticks both boxes for us.”
The new signs have been erected at bp Archerfield, warning that it is a tow-away zone. Image: bpThe bp service station at Archerfield has between 70 and 80 truck parking spots on site.
Gilmour said he had visited the servo three times to inspect the parking situation and found on average 32 unhitched trailers taking up valuable spaces.
“We’re now implementing a zero-tolerance policy on unhitched trailers,” he continued.
“If we can free up 32 parking spaces for truck drivers who need them, we are making a big difference in solving the parking problem at Archerfield and then at other sites.”
One of the new signs that has been put up at Archerfield bp. Image: bpGilmour explained towing unhitched trailers is also a practical first step because it’s easier for Archerfield staff to manage.
“With unhitched trailers, there is no requirement to chalk up tyres or get video or photographic evidence, which is what we would have to do if we were to tow a vehicle.
“We’re starting with trailers and we’re planning to extend that to other vehicles, including looking at ways we can target local vehicles.
“The limit for parking for local vehicles is eight hours and we know that sometimes local companies will park one vehicle during the day and then do a switch at night.
“That’s a tough one to manage because if the vehicle is there for less than eight hours, we can’t tow them.”
bp has signed a contract with Queensland towing company Harvey’s Towing, and unhitched trailers abandoned at the Archerfield site will be taken to one of Harvey’s Towing impound lots.
Charges will apply for towed trailers and vehicles, which are capped under Queensland law (Tow Truck Regulation 2024) as follows:
a standard tow of a motor vehicle from private property capped at $290.05.
the on-site release of a motor vehicle from private property capped at $174.05.
a daily charge for storing a motor vehicle towed from private property to the nearest holding yard capped at $29.00 per day.
bp has erected signage on site to alert drivers of its new towing practices, along with contact details for the towing company.
“There will be signs upon entry to the site, signs upon entry to the store, and in the parking area, informing customers that we have a towing policy for unhitched trailers,” he said.
“By parking at the site, you are entering a contract with bp and agreeing to follow the rules.
“We do not have to inform you if we have towed away your trailer, and that is the same for cars and any vehicle overstays.”
“Archerfield bp offers 24-hour parking for interstate truck drivers and acknowledges the importance of reliable parking options so appropriate rest breaks can be taken.”
“At a lot of our sites, we are hoping to get dedicated caravan parking because we know that with the weigh bridges being installed, they are using it a lot more.”
Gilmour said allowances will be made if someone needs to unhitch their trailer for a “genuine” reason.
“For example, if someone has had a bunch of their tyres burst and they need to unhitch the trailer and get it sorted.
“If they go in and tell the site, we’re not going to tow them.
“We also have truckies who come in and they have a 36-hour rest and they let the site know that they are going to be on the site for 36 hours.
“As another example, we have one truck that has been at a site in NSW for six weeks. The driver is in hospital and his partner has let us know.
“We covered over the truck for them and facilitated another trucking coming to pick up the load. That’s no problem.”
Gilmour said the main thing they want to prevent is non-bp customers using the site as a depot or a storage yard for equipment and trailers.
“We work really closely with our partners to make sure we have great facilities inside our stores, from the showers to the food.
“If truck drivers can’t park at the servo, they can’t access any of those things and it makes those facilities pointless.
“If an interstate truck driver is running out of time in their log book, we want them to know that they can pull into Archerfield and have a hot shower and a feed and they’ll be looked after.
“We want to give truck drivers a safe place to rest, but we can’t do it if half the truck parking is taken by unhitched trailers.”
He added that the problem is frustrating and he is hoping to come up with a national solution.
“We want our customers to be able to trust that, if they are doing a run from Townsville all the way down the coast, stopping at eight or nine of our truck stops, they will be able to get a park at all of them.”
Gilmour is concentrating on improving the parking situation at Archerfield before moving on to Eastern Creek in Sydney and Wingfield in Adelaide.
“Eastern Creek is particularly bad from Thursday to Monday,” he said.
“The problem with that site is that it is so busy, and it’s in Sydney so space is at a premium.
“We have arranged a towing company and signage so that’s the next place we will be looking at.”
bp is working with the staff at Eastern Creek to install security cameras.
Gilmour said bp is aware that availability of truck parking is a major issue for truckies, and resolving the issue is a top priority.
“We get an overwhelming amount of complaints about it – the feedback that we’ve got is that parking is our biggest issue.
“We are hoping that targeting the unhitched trailers will have a knock-on effect and deter other people from doing the wrong thing.”
Read more: Victorian service stations cracking down on truck parking
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