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On 1 September, CLECAT participated in an online workshop on Alternative Charging Infrastructure at Truck Parking Areas, which was jointly organised by the European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association (ACEA) and the European Secure Parking Organisation (ESPORG).

The European Commission has committed €750 million to safe and secure truck parking areas (SSTPAs) in the next 3-6 years. With co-funding from interested applicants, this amount is expected to reach €1.5 billion, allowing the emergence of almost 70 000 new safe and secure truck spaces in Europe.

With a rise in zero-emission trucks and a lack of suitable charging infrastructure, action to build such infrastructure at parking areas is urgently needed, especially considering that the Fit-for-55 package will most certainly introduce an obligation of having a certain amount of charging capacity in place for truck parking areas, potentially already by 2030.

During the workshop, the speakers shared experiences, ideas and plans for Alternative Charging Infrastructure, aimed at raising awareness and reflecting on possible action to build a European network of SSTPAs with alternative fuel infrastructure available within them. This included a presentation of the results of ACEA’s study on priority locations for charging points, a presentation on the challenges for parking areas and potential hurdles by ESPORG, as well as a round table discussion on the challenges and opportunities ahead. MEP Vlad Gheorghe (RO, RENEW) highlighted that investing in SSTPAs provided opportunities to invest in new infrastructure, which could involve charging stations.

CLECAT emphasised that, considering the importance of a well-functioning charging infrastructure for the transport and logistics sector, synergies could be created by combining the mapping of parking needs with a mapping of charging needs, as this would support the business case for both parking areas and charging points, and ultimately serve the end-user.