- £20 million allocated to improve security, lighting, and shower rooms at roadside services for HGV drivers.
- Adds to package of Government measures to tackle effects of the global driver shortage in UK.
- Aims to improve working conditions and retain HGV drivers, backed by overall £52.5 million investment in driver facilities
HGV drivers will benefit from £20 million to improve roadside facilities, as part of continued Government action with industry to boost driver welfare and tackle the effects of the global driver shortage in the UK.
The funding is part of National Highways’ existing £169m Users and Communities Fund, and will go specifically towards improving security, showers and eating facilities as well as exploring increasing parking spaces for lorry drivers. Roadside service operators are being encouraged to apply for the multi-million-pound fund immediately.
It means the Government has now taken 33 actions to support the sector and address a shortage of HGV drivers affecting countries around the world.
The funding takes the total Government investment in driver facilities to £52.5 million since last year. £32.5 million was previously committed in the?Chancellor’s budget?to provide better facilities right across the country for?HGV?drivers, to drive up standards and further safeguard driver comfort and safety.
Roads Minister Baroness Vere said:
Nick Harris, National Highways Chief Executive, said:
A Logistics UK Skills Report 2021 revealed significant steps have been taken by both Government and industry to help address recruitment issues which have plagued the sector for years.
Among other measures already taken to support the haulage industry:
£34 million was invested by Government to create new HGV Skills Bootcamps to train just over 11,000 more people to become HGV drivers in England
The number of HGV driving tests available increased by 90% compared to pre-pandemic levels through measures including overtime and allocating additional employees into testing
The processing of provisional HGV driving licences was prioritised at the DVLA
Plans were set out to widen the pool of registered healthcare professionals authorised to complete DVLA medical questionnaires, reducing administrative burdens on GPs
Thanks to the measures taken, over the last six months DVLA processed more than 240,000 vocational (bus and lorry) licence applications, and in December 2021 they issued 150% more provisional vocational driving licences (14,210 in total) than in the equivalent pre-pandemic month in December 2019.
There are also no delays in the processing of vocational driving licences, with routine applications being processed within normal turnaround times of five working days.
Meanwhile, DVSA carried out an unprecedented 27,144 HGV driving tests between October and December last year compared to the same period in 2019 when 17,685 HGV tests were carried out.
Ken McMeikan, CEO of Moto hospitality said:
Mags Simpson, Logistics UK’s Head of Policy Engagement:
Source: gov.uk issued April 13th 2022