Thousands more lorry drivers needed to cope with Christmas deliveries

HAULIERS are warning they need another 50,000 drivers to deliver festive supplies in time for Christmas.

The fall in the number of HGV drivers is being caused by a large number of older hauliers retiring.

According to industry figures, HGVs delivered eight million trees, 10 million turkeys, 25 million Christmas puddings and nearly 10,000 tons of sprouts across the UK last year. However, the shortage of drivers is expected to cause problems this year.

Richard Burnett, chief executive of the Road Haulage Association, said: “We are short of between 45,000 and 50,000 drivers and the situation is getting worse. Thousands of older drivers are leaving the industry and younger people can’t afford the £3,000 to get a truck licence.

“The Government could help but won’t. It should be supporting a truckdriving apprenticeship. But it is refusing to do this, even though it is forcing the larger trucking firms to pay the new apprenticeship levy. This shortage is grave and presents a real threat to Christmas and economic growth.”

Some firms are believed to be offering drivers thousands of pounds in deals to make sure they don’t join a rival company before Dec 25.

Drivers are turning their back on the industry because of the unsociable hours, while firms struggle to pay high insurance premiums on young drivers. Many truckers refuse to travel abroad due to immigration rules that make them liable if anyone is found stowed away in their vehicle.

The Road Haulage Association is lobbying the Government to change the rules on apprenticeships and to encourage people to join the industry.