MOWIZ TRUCK ASTIGARRAGA: EUROPEAN TRUCK PARKING 2023

Located on the E-70 AP-8/AP-1 of the TEN-T Atlantic Corridor, near the Biriatou border, with 341 parking places

mowiz TRUCK Astigarraga has received the European Truck Parking of the Year 2023 Award by the European Secure Parking Organisation (ESPORG) as  recognition for its excellence in the field of security and the high quality of the services provided to professionals.

Since January 1^st, 2022, truck drivers have been able to use this new secure and monitored parking area in the TEN-T Atlantic Corridor (Trans-European Transport Network). It operates under the name mowiz TRUCK Astigarraga, has a total capacity for 341 trucks and provides Gold level services. It is located at km 17 of the E-70 AP8/AP-1 motorway, before the Biriatou border (Western Pyrenees) in the Basque Country, near the municipality of Astigarraga, and serves northbound traffic. The parking area is part of the CIT Astigarraga-Oiartzun Integral Transport Center, which includes another area with the capacity for 184 trucks at km 8, in the Oiartzun service area, just after crossing the Irun toll booth, for those traveling south. The facilities were built in accordance with the requirements of the European Union and the high technological and quality standards required by the Gold level certificate of the EU-Parking Standard.

The two parking areas were fostered by the Gipuzkoa Provincial Council through its public company, BIDEGI. Their conservation, maintenance and management correspond to the company “CIT Autopista 8, S.A.”, which operates under the brand “mowiz TRUCK”. Users can reserve a place through the mowiz TRUCK app.

341 parking places for northbound traffic (Astigarraga)

The Astigarraga parking area, winner of the 2023 Excellence Award, is available to truck drivers traveling north to France. It is located 17 km away from the French border, in the municipality of Astigarraga, and has direct and exclusive access from the E-70 AP-8/AP-1 motorway. This 25,563 m² platform has the capacity for 341 trucks.

The parking area has 30 places for trucks carrying dangerous goods and 48 for refrigerated transport.

The entire enclosure has a 930-meter-long double anti-climbing fence, with a variable height between 2.5 and 3.5 meters, as required by the Gold level certificate. It includes surveillance cameras monitoring the entire surface, a public address system, a generator set, lighting and a system to control truck inflow and outflow.

Inside the perimeter, there is a green lane for walking or running and an area with fixed elements for exercising. The new parking area includes a building with a ground floor of 845 m² that houses a cafeteria-restaurant with daily menus, a supermarket, a rest area, toilets, showers and a laundry room.

Two outdoor modules can be found in the parking area, one with sinks and showers and one with laundry service, as well as a truck wash and a warehouse.

Environmental sustainability

A hydro cyclone drainage system allows water to be collected, especially from the first runoff, which carries surface material, that is decanted before it reaches the general rainwater network. The area for dangerous goods has a second drainage system that collects spills and takes them to a tank. In the future, it will include a service station for sustainable and environmentally friendly fuels.

Iñigo Beistegi: “The Excellence Award recognizes the level of Mowiz TRUCK Astigarraga in terms of the safety and services that we offer”

Iñigo Beistegi, Manager of mowiz TRUCK Astigarraga-Oiartzun, points out that users value the safety that these facilities offer both for the drivers and their trucks and for the goods they transport. “In addition to security, users value the clean facilities, the restaurant and the hot food it serves. They also like the multilingual staff, who speaks Spanish, French, Ukrainian and Russian, among other languages. We want them to feel comfortable and at home”.

Alexander Makarov: “I like the restaurant, the facilities and their accessibility”

This driver, in transit from Sweden to Portugal, has spent the night in Astigarraga more than once and learned of its existence from other truckers. When choosing a parking area, he values security, food and services.

Jury Openok and Andrey Danyliuk: “It is a safe parking area where we can use our VIA-T”

They share a truck from Portugal to Marseille, and state that they often use these types of facilities. Their company recommended this parking area and they like clean showers and the possibility of paying for services with their VIA-T. “All parking areas should be like this”.

Pablo Méndez: “We are parking here five trucks with material for nearby construction sites”

“We value the security of the parking area”, emphasizes Pablo Méndez. “We are carrying out some construction work near here and we use this parking area as a safe deposit for our five trucks full of material. Each time we have to supply the sites, we move the trucks with the required material and return to the parking area, where we reserve in advance”. PHOTO PALBO MENDEZ

Aurelian Pop: “The facilities are new and have everything I need”

This driver does not hesitate to point out that “the facilities are new and have everything I need”. He travels from Madrid to France and uses the parking area regularly because of its security during the night. The company he works for is responsible for reservations.

Jorge Apolonia: “This is the first time I’ve used this parking area and I like it”

He is headed for England and this is the first time he has used the Astigarraga parking area, although he regularly stops in the secure parking areas of the European network. “I found out about this one on the information panels of the highway and my first impression is that it is a safe, quiet facility with good services.” He believes more secure truck parking areas are needed.

oaquim Beijinha: “I value the security, the quietness and the services it offers”

He comes from A Coruña and is going to Calais to unload his truck in England. He knows this parking area and highly values its security, quietness and services. He often uses secure and monitored parking areas. “I spend the night in these parking areas and use their restaurant, showers and laundry service

Constantin Mavrodin: “Since it opened, I stop here regularly”

He comes from Valladolid, on his way to Germany, and takes advantage of his rest time to regain strength and have a coffee. He has known about the parking area since it opened a year ago and usually stops here both at rest times established by law and to spend the night. “On the highway, I can see panels with information about available places. I like security, because I do not want anyone to steal the diesel from the tank of the truck.”