40,000 CANCELLED HGV DRIVING TESTS MUST BE TACKLED IMMEDIATELY

There are calls for the backlog of HGV driving tests to be cleared, amidst warnings that the driver shortage will impact on Christmas this year as businesses struggle to move the goods.

RHA chief executive Richard Burnett claims that the effects of the UK’s shortage of 100,000 HGV drivers are being felt across the country.

“The plans that government has put in place to support the industry aren’t working. They’re not filling that gap quickly enough,” he said.

Richard also explained that for many businesses, the build-up for Christmas has already started as an increasing number of products are delivered into the UK destined for warehouses and stores around the country.

However, there are backlogs are ports and railheads, as containers wait for trucks to carry them away.

2,000 drivers are leaving the industry every week, often due to retirement, but only about 1,000 new recruits are joining the workforce in that same timeframe.

This is why we’re backing the call for HGV driving tests to be given top priority by DVLA.

Last year, 40,000 of these tests were cancelled due to the Covid-19 pandemic, meaning that the industry has not been able to bring new truckers into the industry. It’s absolutely vital that this backlog be cleared as quickly as possible.