Logistics UK has welcomed changes to the HGV driver testing process, designed to address the current lorry driver shortage in Britain.
HGV driving tests will be overhauled, meaning drivers will only need to take one evaluation to drive both a rigid and articulated lorry, rather than having to take two separate ones (spaced 3 weeks apart
This will make around 50,000 more HGV driving tests available every year and mean drivers can gain licences and enter the industry more quickly.
“With access to tests a key barrier to recruits wishing to join the occupation, the government’s measures to speed up the process of qualifying as an HGV driver – including the removal of staged testing and allowing authorised private sector examiners to undertake parts of the examination – will increase testing capacity significantly and have a positive effect in the longer-term,” said Logistics UK Policy director, Elizabeth de Jong.
“However, the impact of today’s measures is unlikely to make a significant difference on the driver shortage if they cannot be implemented in time for the industry’s Christmas peak, with DVSA, DVLA and the wider training industry needing time to apply the changes and adapt their operations.
“Logistics UK had strongly voiced our concerns about the proposed abolition of the B+E driver category, as this could pose a risk to road safety. However, Logistics UK has been assured there will be a package of safety mitigation measures introduced; we will be working with government to ensure safety is prioritised.”
Logistics UK represents than 7m people directly employed in the making, selling and moving of goods.
https://www.gov.uk/government/news/government-takes-further-action-to-tackle-hgv-driver-shortage
https://logistics.org.uk/media/press-releases/2021/september/changes-to-hgv-driver-testing-process-measures-a-p