A spectacular lack of drivers
The lack of lorry drivers has prompted the UK to bank on shorter driving tests. The recent bottlenecks haven’t only resulted in empty shelves and petrol stations, but also in further consolidation in the logistics industry.
The disruption of global supply chains, coupled with a pan-European shortage of heavy goods haulage truck drivers, is having a severe impact on the United Kingdom. The situation is further complicated by the impact of Brexit, as well as the fact that the country is an island, and thus highly dependent on its ports. All this has led to a state of affairs that is being described in the national press as a veritable crisis.
Container shipping delays and a global shortage of empty boxes – problems the UK isn’t alone in facing – have been further compounded by depleted workforces in ports, as a result of workers furloughed or self-isolating on account of Covid-19, leading to heavy congestion.
A rising shortfall
In addition there’s now also an estimated shortage of 100,000 heavy goods vehicle drivers in the UK, out of a required workforce of 600,000, according to a survey carried out by the UK’s Road Haulage Association (RHA). As a result, a number of leading retailers have announced actual or likely disruption to their stocks and services.
The disruption caused by the shortage of lorry drivers in the UK has been further intensified by a fuel shortage, with petrol stations feeling the brunt of the problem arising from their inability to receive sufficient supplies of fuel, combined with panic buying by the general public. Many petrol stations have run out of fuel and have had to close temporarily.
Part of the problem has been the greater bureaucracy involved in the import of goods since Brexit. The UK finally left the European Union’s single market and customs union on 1 January 2021. But even here the full disruptive effect has not been felt yet, as the UK has allowed delays on the implementation of full pre-notification of imports of various goods from the EU. Pre-notification requirement for the import of agricultural produce were initially suspended until 1 October, for example, a measure that was then even extended to 1 January 2022, the day when full border checks on imports in general will take effect.
Desperately seeking drivers
In a move aimed at reversing the exodus from the UK of some drivers originating from EU countries following Brexit, prime minister Boris Johnson announced recently that temporary immigration visas lasting until 24 December would be granted to 5,000 fuel tanker and food-supply drivers (and 5,500 poultry workers), in a bid to minimise disruption in the run-up to Christmas.
Meanwhile, the UK government has also sent nearly 1 million letters to retired British drivers who hold HGV licences, to try and encourage them back into the industry. At the same time it has publicly recommended that haulage companies increase the wages they pay, in a bid to attract and retain drivers.
Indeed, the government has already moved to help facilitate the training of more UK-based lorry drivers, by making up to 50,000 more HGV driving tests available each year through the introduction of a streamlined process, whereby drivers will only have to take one test covering both rigid and articulated lorries, as opposed to separate ones as before.
Tests will also be shortened by removing ‘reversing exercises’, with these test being conducted separately by a third party. The same applies to ‘uncoupling and recoupling’ exercises that apply to tests with vehicles with trailers. Car drivers will also no longer need to take another test to tow a trailer or caravan, thereby freeing examiners to conduct further HGV tests.
The new legislation needed to implement these alterations simultaneously changes previous EU regulations, which wouldn’t have been possible when Britain was still part of the European Union. This, at least, is one of the rare benefits of Brexit for the UK so far when it comes to trade-related matters.
Further consolidation in the sector
Meanwhile, another major consolidation of the UK logistics sector has taken place, with the takeover of the forwarder John Good Logistics by the J. & J. Denholm group, with interests in shipping, logistics, seafoods and industrial services. Both operate port-centric business, Denholm from its Glasgow base (west coast of Scotland) and John Good from Felixstowe (southeastern England).