UK driver shortage hits a peak
The disruption in the UK caused by a shortage of lorry drivers has intensified over the past week, with petrol stations feeling the brunt of the problem because of an inability to receive sufficient supplies of fuel combined with ‘panic buying’ by the general public. Many petrol stations have run out of fuel and had to temporarily close.
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 at the weekend that temporary immigration visas lasting until December 24 would be granted to 5,000 fuel tanker and food-supply drivers – as well as to 5,500 poultry workers – in a bid to minimise disruption in the run-up to Christmas.
However, Marco Digioia, general secretary of the European Road Haulers Association UETR, was quoted in UK Sunday newspaper ‘The Observer’ as saying that “I expect many drivers won’t return to the UK even if the government allows them to.” There are plenty of employment opportunities for truck drivers in the EU, where they enjoy “higher wages and better working conditions”, he said, citing as an example future funding for ‘Safe and Secure Truck Parking Areas’ (SSTPAs) recently agreed by the EU through the Connecting Europe Facility (CEF II).
Meanwhile, the UK government has also sent nearly 1 million letters to retired British drivers who hold an HGV licence, 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.
The British Retail Consortium has welcomed the prospect of additional drivers, but the numbers involved are said to be “too small” to have any real effect. And the UK’s Road Haulage Association has said that the estimated UK shortage of 100,000 drivers (out of 600,000) will only get worse, as there’s an ongoing trend of more older drivers leaving the profession than younger ones joining it. (bj)