Government extends working hours for lorry drivers to ease shortage

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The government is temporarily extending the limit on lorry drivers’ working hours in order to ease the ongoing shortage, with the measures receiving backlash from the haulage sector.

Brexit lorry

Transport secretary Grant Shapps and Baroness Vere from the Department for Transport (DfT) announced the temporary extension of the hours HGV drivers are legally allowed to work from Monday July 12 to ease the ongoing driver shortage.

Baroness Vere wrote: “We’re temporarily extending drivers’ hours rules from Monday July 12 to allow HGV drivers to make slightly longer journeys where necessary as we’re aware of a current shortage of drivers.

“Driver safety must not be compromised and operators must notify DfT if this relaxation is used.”

This was following repeated warnings from the Road Haulage Association (RHA) that the UK faced a “catastrophic” shortage of qualified drivers due to a mixture of Brexit red tape and coronavirus restrictions.

The RHA has even called for the army to be brought in to help offset the issues caused by the 100,000 driver vacancies currently in the UK.

However, the RHA has hit back at the announcement today, saying the move may push already overworked drivers over the edge.

“We oppose wholesale extensions to drivers’ hours as we believe they can be counter-productive by making the job less attractive,” a spokesperson said.

“Loading more hours on to drivers that are already exhausted is not the answer – the problem needs more than just a sticking plaster.”

The RHA recently developed a 12-point plan to ease the crisis to government, which included giving temporary visas to allow overseas drivers to work in the UK.

The ongoing shortage has led to widespread availability issues at supermarkets across the UK and the RHA has warned that increasing fees being commanded by drivers will be passed on as higher costs to consumers.

However, Federation of Wholesale Distributors chief executive James Bielby said: “This is just what food distributors needed – an immediate and obvious solution to what could have been a catastrophic supply chain failure.

“The flexibility in drivers’ hours means those out-of-the-way shops, pubs and restaurants will get the stock they need for the big reopening on Freedom Day, and will allow wholesalers to do as much as 15% more deliveries each day.

“Provided it remains in place into the autumn, it will avert possible school closures in September and shortages in the shops in the run-up to Christmas.”