In yet another move designed to support the UK’s haulage industry, £20m is being provided by the government to fund the provision of better roadside facilities. These funds are being allocated to improve a variety of aspects of the current status quo, with security, shower rooms, lighting and dining areas all set to be improved.
Coming from the National Highways current £169m Users & Communities Fund, it forms part of an overall £52.5m worth of investment in driver facilities. One of the challenges cited as preventing new talent being attracted into the HGV driving sector is working conditions – something this allocation seeks to address.
Roadside Service Operators Urged to Apply Immediately
This latest directive brings the total number of measures implement to support the beleaguered lorry driving sector to 33. Application is key, however, with roadside service operators being urged to apply for funding immediately to avoid missing out on their allocation of this multi-million pound investment.
Talking about the funding, Roads Minister Baroness Vere had this to say:
“HGV drivers play a key role in keeping our nation running and contributing to the economy, and it is vital they feel safe and comfortable wherever they stop. That’s why we’re allocating £20 million to ramp up security and improve amenities for drivers.
Building on the raft of measures we’ve already taken to support the industry, we’ll continue to work closely with the sector to boost professional driver numbers even further”.
Well Received by Industry Stakeholders
The announcement of this funding boost has understandably been welcomed by a number of haulage industry stakeholders. Firstly, Moto’s Hospitality CEO Ken McMeikan stated it was great news for hardworking HGV drivers, going on to say…
“It is encouraging to see that the input provided by industry figures has been acknowledged and acted upon by the Department for Transport. We look forward to making an application to this £20 million fund, which would allow us to accelerate our plans for enhanced security and increasing the physical number of showers we can offer”.
This sentiment was echoed by Logistics UK’s Head of Policy Engagement who had this to say on the matter…“The announcement of an additional £20 million to boost HGV driver facilities is a positive step forward for industry, and Logistics UK is now calling on roadside service operators to urgently apply for funding.
It’s vital that these key workers, who are charged with keeping the nation stocked with all its required goods, have a safe place to take these breaks, where they are also able to make use of much needed bathroom and catering facilities”.
Vital Improved Working Conditions in the Sector
It’s fantastic news that the chronic need for improved working conditions for HGV drivers in the UK is being addressed. The ongoing driver shortage will only be overcome if we can attract new blood into the industry and that’s much more likely if people are able to rest, relax and refresh themselves in purpose-built facilities.
At HGVC, we’ll be carry on doing our utmost to attract the next generation of lorry drivers with industry-leading, scalable HGV licence acquisition programs via our nationwide network of training centres. Staffed by highly experienced and knowledgeable trainers, we’re well placed to make a real difference in boosting the available talent pool.
If you’d like to learn more about us and how we do things, we recommend that you take a look around our website, where you’ll find everything you need to know. Alternatively, to get in touch, click on ‘contact us’ or call us on 0330 818 8888 and we’ll be happy to discuss your training needs.
