SNAP calls for safe and secure truck parking to become a bigger part of Europe’s mobility conversation, as the EU faces a shortfall of more than 390,000 certified safe and secure parking spaces for professional drivers.
As Europe marks European Mobility Week, SNAP is calling for safe and secure truck parking to become a bigger part of the mobility conversation, arguing that for professional drivers mobility is not simply about getting from A to B it is also about having somewhere safe, secure and suitable to stop.
Running from 16-22 September 2026, this year’s European Mobility Week continues the theme “Mobility for Everyone”, with a particular focus on intergenerational fairness and transport systems that serve current and future generations.
But for the professional drivers responsible for keeping Europe’s shops stocked, factories supplied and economies moving, sometimes the biggest mobility challenge is finding somewhere safe to stop.
The scale of the challenge is significant. The European Commission estimates that the current gap in certified Safe and Secure Parking Areas (SSPAs) is 390,057 parking spaces – equivalent to around 3,250 parking areas. By 2040, the shortfall is projected to reach 483,000 spaces if current investment trends continue.
The Commission has warned that the shortage affects not only driver security, safety and wellbeing, but also logistics-chain efficiency and overall road safety. Its 2025 study also highlighted that improved connectivity and digitalisation are important to making safe and secure parking more accessible and attractive.
The quality of available facilities is another concern. In a European Commission report, 52% of surveyed drivers said parking-area facilities were unclean, while only 2% considered them clean across all types of parking areas.
For drivers, this is more than an inconvenience. Professional drivers must comply with mandatory driving-time, break and rest rules, so access to suitable stopping points is a fundamental part of safe and compliant road transport. The European Commission states that sufficient parking areas are needed along the road network so drivers can rest in a safe and secure environment, with adequate facilities for both drivers and cargo.
For SNAP, the principle of “Mobility for Everyone” should include the people who spend their working lives on Europe’s roads. A genuinely connected transport network should help professional drivers plan journeys with confidence, identify appropriate stopping points, access essential facilities and know that when they need to stop, there is somewhere suitable to do so.
Digital solutions can form part of that answer. Through SNAP’s European parking network and booking solutions, fleets and drivers can identify and access truck parking as part of a more connected journey, helping reduce uncertainty around where drivers can stop.
Nick Renton, Head of EU Commercial at SNAP explains:
“We spend a lot of time talking about how we make transport faster, cleaner and more connected, but mobility isn’t only about moving. For Europe’s professional drivers, knowing where they can safely stop is just as important.”
“A driver reaching the end of their permitted driving time should not have to begin searching for somewhere suitable to park. Better infrastructure, greater visibility of available facilities and digital booking solutions can give drivers greater certainty before they arrive.”
“If we are serious about creating mobility for everyone, the people who spend their working lives on Europe’s roads have to be part of that conversation.”
Why this matters during European Mobility Week
European Mobility Week is the European Commission’s leading campaign on sustainable urban mobility. In 2026, its “Mobility for Everyone” theme asks how transport can become more accessible and inclusive across generations. SNAP’s message extends that conversation to road freight: the people enabling Europe’s everyday mobility also need infrastructure that allows them to stop safely.
