After the launch of Transport Focus 20/21 Logistics & Coach Survey: Strategic Roads on 27 May 2021, Logistics UK has urged the DfT to take urgent action on the matter of the nationwide lack of HGV parking spaces. This is in response to 56% of the surveyed respondents that rated the availability of these areas as fairly poor or very poor.
Michelle Gardner, Logistics UK’s Head of Public Policy, had this to say “These figures reconfirm a desperate industry need and three years ago, the government pledged to increase the availability of safe, secure parking spaces for lorry drivers – who work tirelessly to transport the goods that the nation needs – but it has yet to deliver on its promise”.
A Need to Listen to the Concerns of Businesses
As one of the largest business groups in the country supporting the currently beleaguered haulage sector, Logistics UK is keen to make the case for the sector which can be accurately described as vital to the UK’s ability to trade. It’s the only business group to represent the entire industry to include those involved in road, rail, sea and air transportation and whose operations depend much on efficient goods movement.
Ms Gardner continued by pressing the government to make meaningful action “Our members need the government to listen carefully to the concerns of businesses shared in the report. The logistics industry needs an efficient and fully maintained road network, with plentiful supplies of good quality parking options, to operate effectively; this is vital to enable logistics businesses to support the economic recovery of UK PLC.”
Exacerbating the HGV Driver Shortage
One of the driving reasons why the aspect of safe parking spaces is of such high importance is that it’s reflective of the kind of working conditions that UK-based HGV drivers can expect whilst on the job. Worryingly, the driver shortage is showing little sign of abating and if that tide is to be turned, people entering the industry need to see the role as an attractive one.
Currently, the industry is already around 76,000 drivers short of where it needs to be and professionals in the UK are legally required to take periodic breaks. Without the provision of a significant number of safe parking spaces, HGV drivers may be frequently required to park in unsafe locations, which is not the kind of reality that is going to bring new people into the profession.
HGVC – Tackling the Driver Shortage One Company at a Time
The issue of safe parking spaces is just one of the many challenges the UK’s haulage sector is seeking to overcome, with Covid-19 and Brexit being the other notable obstacles faced. At HGVC, we’re helping to reduce the HGV driver shortage with our industry-leading HGV licence acquisition programmes that allow businesses to circumvent the issue by upskilling their existing warehouse staff.
Able to cater for both small and large-scale needs our driver training programmes are fully managed throughout, making the whole process seamless and efficient. If you would like to know about how HGVC can meet your driver training needs, please send us a message via the link below, or give us a call on 0330 818 8888 and a member of our team will be more than happy to talk you through your options.
