Felixstowe Truck Stop

A short distance from the Port of Felixstowe - and just a few minutes' walk from the seafront - Felixstowe Truck Stop is a rare example of a privately-run truck facility that's been shaped by the people who actually use it. Designed and operated by a working haulage company, the stop doesn't offer frills, but it does get the basics right - with a few extra touches that make it more usable than most. It's no secret that HGV drivers operating out of the UK's biggest container port have long struggled to find secure, well-located places to park up and take a proper break.

Felixstowe Truck Stop, opened in 2024 by local haulier Transport Equipment Services Ltd (TES), is a direct response to that. It fills a practical gap in the area's infrastructure - offering secure overnight parking just off the A154, a few hundred metres from the port gates, with easy walking access to local food outlets and even the beach. The location matters.

For once, drivers aren't confined to a remote industrial estate or stuck on a layby with nothing but a petrol station. There's a proper pavement route to the seafront, with fresh air, a few benches, and the chance to decompress. Nearby shops and takeaways offer a wider choice of food than most truckstops can manage, and the site itself has kept its design simple to focus on what drivers actually use.

Secure Parking

The current layout offers marked bays and controlled access, with 24-hour monitored CCTV and perimeter fencing.

It accepts Snap account payments and has on-site lighting and signage to direct incoming traffic. TES has already begun planning changes to the layout, responding to driver feedback about space and manoeuvrability. The current parking grid will be reconfigured into a herringbone-style angled layout, aimed at making it easier for longer rigs to get in and out without tight reversing or awkward turning on arrival.

This future upgrade reflects how the truckstop is still being shaped by experience - not just designed and done with once.

Showers and Security

Basic driver facilities are in place and clearly maintained. Showers are available for a small fee - GBP3 per use, payable via card - and are clean and functional. One important feature is the internal physical locking mechanism, particularly important for lone drivers and female drivers wanting added privacy and safety.

Toilets are accessible and kept separate from the general yard area, and drivers report that the on-site team are quick to deal with any issues or faults. Lou, who manages the stop on a day-to-day basis, is regularly seen on-site speaking directly with drivers - dealing with queries, maintenance requests, and feedback.

Focus on Driver Health

Beyond the physical setup, the truck stop has introduced some low-key but useful initiatives around driver health and wellbeing.

Every driver arriving is offered a free bottle of water - not a gimmick, but a small step towards improving driver hydration, especially for those working long hours in warm cabs or tight schedules.
The site runs regular blood-pressure check evenings, where drivers can get a reading in minutes and receive simple advice or signposting if anything is off. These are informal sessions run on a walk-in basis - no appointment needed, no fuss - just a quick opportunity to check in on something often ignored on the road.

None of this is over-engineered or boxed up in corporate slogans.

It's small stuff, handled quietly, but for the drivers using the site regularly, it adds up.

Designed by Hauliers, Not Developers

The big difference with Felixstowe Truck Stop is its ownership. It's not part of a motorway services chain or backed by a property developer. Instead, it's run by Transport Equipment Services Ltd, a Felixstowe-based haulage company that's been operating since 2015.

With a mixed fleet of container, temperature-controlled and oversized vehicles, TES built the truck stop to reflect its own drivers' frustrations with other options in the area. Lou, who manages the site, brings a direct operational approach to the job. The focus is on practicality, driver rapport and keeping things running.

There's a clear view that the truck stop should do what it says it does - no sales pitch, just a clean, secure place to park and recover. TES's experience running trucks around the port gives them an inside view of what HGV drivers actually need - especially around shift changeovers, timed booking slots at port terminals, and the increasing difficulty of finding legitimate rest locations that comply with driving hours rules.

Final Thoughts

Felixstowe Truck Stop isn't trying to impress anyone with scale. It's modest, practical and still evolving.

What makes it stand out is the fact that it's built from inside the haulage business, not outside it. Drivers get a secure, functional place to park. There's attention to health, access to everyday needs, and signs that the operator is still listening.

If more truckstops took this approach - direct feedback, clean basics, and simple wellness support - the job on the road might feel a little more human.

Transport Equipment Services Ltd

Based in Felixstowe, TES is a haulage firm founded in 2015
Operates across container, curtain-sider, temperature-controlled and abnormal load sectors
Owns and operates Felixstowe Truck Stop
Recent operational alliance with Davies Turner to support intermodal trunking
Uses the truck stop as part of its in-house strategy to retain drivers, reduce dwell time, and support HGV compliance

The Port of Felixstowe

The UK's largest container terminal, handling over 4 million TEU annually
Major entry/exit point for freight between UK, Europe, Asia and North America
Operates under strict time-slot systems for collections and deliveries
Congestion and dwell times create real pressure on hauliers and drivers
Local infrastructure has lagged behind port volumes, with secure HGV parking historically underprovided

EV Charging for Cars While not yet set up for electric trucks, the site has installed EV charging points for cars - a practical addition given the number of fleet cars, vans and personal vehicles that pass through or accompany HGV units on mixed journeys. It also supports local use, with nearby businesses and port workers able to top up if needed.

MORE INFORMATION

Felixstowe Truck Stop - felixstowetruckstop.co.uk

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