INDUSTRY FOCUS
Industry angered by plans to address driver shortages
BUSINESS GROUP LOGISTICS UK HAS REACTED WITH DISMAY AT THE RECENT ANNOUNCEMENT THAT THE DRIVERS ’ HOURS LEGISLATION , WHICH GOVERNS THE LENGTH OF TIME HGV DRIVERS ARE LEGALLY EXPECTED TO WORK , WILL CONTINUE TO BE RELAXED UNTIL 8 AUGUST 2021 IN A BID TO REDUCE DRIVER SHORTAGES .
As James Firth , the organisation ’ s head of road freight regulation policy , explains , the announcement will heap more pressure on drivers who are already stretched to the limit : “ Government has ignored the industry in deciding to relax these road safety laws ,” he explains , “ and it will be the hard-pressed HGV drivers on our roads who have to carry the burden . Throughout the pandemic , the UK ’ s professional drivers have kept our shops , homes and businesses supplied with everything needed to keep the economy going , but the current workforce cannot be expected to fill the gaps created by the current skills shortage . The road freight industry vehemently opposed the extension of these vital road safety laws , yet the government has ignored the will of those who will be most affected by the changes .
“ The logistics sector has been experiencing a significant shortage of drivers for a number of years , but this situation has been exacerbated by factors including the Covid-19 pandemic and Brexit . The industry needs a longer-term solution to the recruitment of drivers – including temporary visas for EU workers to cover the gaps while new recruits can be trained , and interest-free loans for those wishing to enter the market – not a stop-gap measure that will heap more pressure on existing workers . The relaxation of drivers hours should only be used in an emergency situation , when a foreseeable end date can be identified – or is the government suggesting that the current shortage of drivers will be resolved by 8 August ?”
Extension of working hours is not the solution Mr Firth continues : “ Existing drivers have been working flat out since the start of the pandemic , and this could be the final straw for many of them . Instead of trying to paper over the gaps , government should be working with industry to produce a plan to support moving drivers through the current bottleneck of HGV driving tests and support potential new entrants to the industry with the expensive process of acquiring a professional driving licence . Industry met with Transport and Work & Pensions ministers to discuss the situation on 16 June , but no plan has been forthcoming to date – extending working hours is untenable and not the solution to the wider issue . Logistics businesses need and deserve answers , not wallpapering over the problem !”
IT WILL BE THE HARD- PRESSED HGV DRIVERS ON OUR ROADS WHO HAVE TO CARRY THE BURDEN
Equally convinced this is not the solution is Tim Doggett , chief executive , Chemical Business Association ( CBA ): “ Relaxing driver hours is an inadequate reaction to the chronic shortage of HGV drivers . It is also likely to be counter-productive and may even make the problem worse . Many drivers are already away from their families for considerable periods of time and already work up to 15-hour days . Expecting them to work more hours against this background is completely unrealistic .”
Permanent solutions needed Tim added : “ Relaxing driver hours does not address the central problem . There is a shortage of 60,000 HGV drivers and simply extending driver ’ s hours is not appropriate or effective solution . This is a chronic issue that now needs urgent action . We recently called a joint Government-Industry partnership to lay the foundations for a more permanent solution to the issue , including the immediate and urgent need to establish a task force to which CBA would be willing to contribute .”
The CBA also recently wrote a letter to the Prime Minister emphasising the critical impact of driver shortages on the UK economy , as well as thousands of manufacturing and process industries which are all dependent on road transport .
The letter also stated : “ We recognise and endorse the causes outlined by the RHA that have exacerbated the chronic shortage of drivers . Vocational training and the acquisition of qualifications , including sector specific areas such as the Carriage of Dangerous Goods , have been significantly hampered by Covid-19 restrictions . This can only exacerbate the current situation .”
Fuel Oil News | August 2021 13