Motorway service area operator Moto Hospitality is recognising the contribution HGV drivers are making during the Coronavirus lockdown by offering them free food and extending free parking periods.

The free food scheme has been launched at 10 of the company’s sites that are most popular with truck drivers and will be followed by 14 more sites next week.

Food will be cooked to order in on-site kitchens and delivered in boxes to special collection points at each service area.

In addition, free parking time for HGVs at all Moto sites has been extended from two hours to three to give HGV drivers who are working split shifts adequate time to rest.

Moto’s CEO Ken McMeikan said: “HGV drivers are playing an absolutely pivotal role in the fight against Coronavirus by delivering vital food and medicines across the country.

“They really are making a Herculean effort to keep critical supplies available to us all, so providing them with free food and extended free parking is our way of saying ‘thank you’ for the often arduous job they are doing.”

The free food is available to all HGV drivers when they park overnight.

The sites offering the deal are: Doncaster (M18), Ferrybridge (M62) Medway (M2), Heston West (M4), Hilton Park North & South (M6), Blyth (A1M), Birch East & West (M62) and Trowell North (M1).