Secretary of State for Transport (Rt Hon Grant Shapps MP):
The need to tackle the heavy goods vehicle (HGV) driver shortage is a top
priority for my department and this government is committed to
finding solutions to mitigate its effect and take urgent action.
With 25 proactive actions taken by my department to resolve the
long-term HGV driver
shortage in recent weeks, we are already seeing results, with a
300% increase in the number of HGV provisional licence applications.
This is a real achievement, but it is important that we continue to
build on this success.
The haulage sector has been experiencing a chronic shortage of
HGV drivers worldwide
for some time. In Great Britain, the issue has been further
exacerbated by the coronavirus pandemic, which meant that driver
testing had to be suspended for much of 2020, delaying entry to
the industry of potential drivers.
In addition, there are longer-term issues surrounding attracting
and retaining drivers to the industry such as anti-social hours,
poor diversity, relatively low pay and poor driver facilities.
The Department for Transport (DfT) and other government
departments have been working alongside the haulage industry to
ensure that we attract, recruit, train and test drivers who want
to enter the profession, including increasing capacity for
testing candidate drivers through measures taken by the Driver
and Vehicle Standards Agency and prioritising licence
applications within the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency.
Streamlining the HGV
driving licence regime is an important step in getting drivers
tested and into jobs quickly, relieving the pressure on the
haulage industry from the driver shortage. On 10 September 2021,
following public consultation, I announced a number of measures to simplify the
HGVlicencing regime
and bring forward legislation that would remove the current
staged process for getting an HGV licence in Great Britain.
It will mean that drivers will not need to hold a Category C
(rigid lorry) licence before applying for a Category C + E
(articulated lorry) licence, removing a stage in the process for
those drivers who wish to acquire a category C + E licence. This
measure will be addressed through a draft affirmative statutory
instrument which is laid before Parliament today (18 October
2021).
This legislation will help to make the process from learner to
qualified driver quicker by removing certain steps and allow it
to respond more rapidly to the acute need for drivers at the
heavier end of the vehicle spectrum. High driving standards will
be maintained through existing pre-test training and gaining
on-road driving experience.
To make rapid progress on this, we are seeking to make use of the
urgent procedure under paragraph 14(6) of Schedule 8 to the
European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018. As Secretary of State for
Transport, I am of the opinion that, by reason of urgency, the
requirements for the statutory instrument to be made after being
published in draft together with a scrutiny statement should not
apply.
Forgoing the 28-day publication period will allow earlier laying
of the legislation than would have otherwise been possible and
strengthen the steps we have already taken to increase testing
capacity and ease supply chain issues as quickly as possible.
Arrangements will be in place to ensure that the changes made by
the legislation are operationally effective as soon as the
legislation is in force.
Tackling the causes and effects of the HGV driver shortage is a top
priority for my department and the driving licence regime and its
legislation must support our efforts. This, as part of 25
measures we have taken so far, will help us to reduce the impact
of this shortage on the people of Britain.
