Unite condemns extension of lorry driving hours being relaxed
Friday, 6 August 2021 14:48
Commenting on the extension until October of lorry driving hours
being relaxed, announced today (Friday 6 August), Unite national
officer for road transport Adrian Jones said: “Extending the
relaxation of minimum lorry driving hours until October is frankly
dangerous. “The driver shortage, the huge demand and the
considerable pressures that are simply part of the job, mean HGV
drivers are already exhausted. “Minimum driving hours are there to
keep people safe. Relaxing them for six...Request free trial
Commenting on the extension until
October of lorry driving hours being relaxed, announced today
(Friday 6 August), Unite national officer for road transport Adrian
Jones said:
“Extending the relaxation
of minimum lorry driving hours until October is frankly
dangerous.
“The driver shortage, the
huge demand and the considerable pressures that are simply part of
the job, mean HGV drivers are already
exhausted.
“Minimum driving hours
are there to keep people safe. Relaxing them for six months of the
year is foolhardy and will inevitably put workers and road users at
risk.
“We will continue
advising our members not to put themselves in danger and to
exercise their legal right to refuse to drive if they are too
tried.
“The union will fully
support those who make that decision, legally and
industrially.”
It is estimated that there is
currently a shortage of around 75,000 lorry drivers in the
UK.
Unite believes that the relaxation of
the driving regulations will not resolve the problem of driver
shortages and could actually make the situation
worse.
As a result of being required to work
even longer hours more drivers will decide to leave the
profession.
While the government has announced
the relaxation in driving hours, it has so far failed to take any
action to encourage new entrants into the
industry.
Unite has produced a manifesto
of change for the sector: The key demands are to dramatically
improve pay and welfare facilities for drivers in order to make the
industry more attractive for new
entrants.
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