In a move designed to alleviate the worsening HGV driver shortage in the United Kingdom, Transport Secretary Grant Shapps has announced a new package of measures. Declared in an open letter to the haulage sector, a pledge was made that ministers would work hard with industry leaders to simplify training and attract more new drivers.

Highlighting the fact that the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) has already ensured that 1,500 HGV drivers are passing their test each and every week, Mr Shapps stated that the government would be going much further to ensure new drivers are available as soon as possible.

A New Consultation to Streamline the Process

Part of the package includes a new consultation that is set to be launched into permitting drivers to take a single test to cover both rigid and articulated lorries. The measure would streamline the process of obtaining an HGV licence, increasing the appointment availability for lorry tests, however, drivers would still require supervision until fully qualified.

The same consultation will also look into the possibility of HGV trainers examining off-road manoeuvres as part of the HGV driving test and whether specific car/trailer tests would be necessary. It’s believed that this will allow a meaningful increase in the number of HGV driving tests that can be taken, while maintaining standards of road safety.

Appreciation For Work Already Done

The transport secretary had this to say about the announcement “I want to thank all those in the road haulage industry who have worked so hard throughout the pandemic to provide such a vital service.

I understand the challenges faced by drivers and operators right now and while longer-term solutions must be led first and foremost by industry leaders, today we are saying this government is here to help.

This set of measures will kickstart that help, easing pressure on the sector as we work together to attract new drivers, improve conditions and ensure the industry’s future is a prosperous one”.

Improving Working Conditions For Drivers

Another key element of the newly-announced government measures concerns the need to improve the working conditions of those in the industry. As things stand, there is insufficient infrastructure on Britain’s roads in terms of safe parking spaces and lorry park facilities and this is a factor that can actively work against efforts to bring new blood into the role.

The ultimate goal is to illustrate that a long, profitable and successful career can be had by anyone willing to consider entering the sector. One idea is for the industry to run a Year of Logistics during which new methods of attracting people from all walks of society would be highlighted.

Doing Our Bit To Keep The Country Moving

The battle to keep the country moving amidst the biggest HGV driver shortage we have ever seen is an ongoing one that needs to be won. Whether this latest announcement will realise the desired outcomes remains to be seen, but there does at least seem to be some urgency emanating from government sources to focus more on solving the wider issues.

At HGVC, we’re doing our own bit to provide more HGV drivers by offering the very best HGV licence acquisition programs available in the UK. Able to cater for both small and large-scale needs, our proprietary Manpower-backed Driver Academy offering provides a time and cost-efficient way of meeting your need for driving skills.

If you would like to know more about anything mentioned here or about how we work, speak to a member of our team about your training requirements by calling us on 0330 818 8888 and we’ll be delighted to help any way we can.