BORDEN-CARLETON, P.E.I. — Truckers in P.E.I. who were forbidden from crossing the Confederation Bridge last week due to high winds snubbed a government-funded parking area in favour of nearby streets and parking lots.

The CBC reported about 20 transport trucks were scattered about the area, while only a few used a parking lot about a kilometre away that the province spent $330,000 developing for just this purpose.

Drivers told the CBC the parking lot was too far from restaurants and washrooms and they can’t see from there when the bridge reopens.

The bridge was closed to truck traffic for about 36 hours last week due to high winds.

One local business owner said the trucking industry wasn’t adequately consulted prior to construction of the parking lot.

“Nobody ever went to the trucking industry and said, ‘What do you want to see?’ They just bought the piece of land, they built it, and expect people to use it. Well, it’s not going to work that way. Truckers say they will not park down there, and then have to walk back to services,” gas station owner Jamie Fox told the CBC.