The nation’s government has given the industry a two-year deadline
A cross-party group of English MPs have told members of the nation’s freight sector to improve overnight facilities for drivers and provide new training routes or face new taxes.
Previously the road haulage industry told ministers to give them a two-year deadline to upgrade facilities for truck drivers including better food, showers and spaces for female drivers.
But this week the cross-party group called for the logistics and freight sector to improve its standards or face the introduction of a new tax.
The call comes as the industry struggles with a lack of heavy goods vehicle drivers leading to regular fuel shortages at petrol stations and supermarket shortages.
Last year the Road Haulage Association said there was a shortfall of around 100,000 heavy vehicle drivers due to the COVID-19 pandemic, with the shortage now predicted to have fallen to 65,000 drivers.
Now the transport select committee in the Commons says if changes aren’t made within two years then parts of the industry will face a new tax under a proposed supply chain levy that would go towards new facilities for heavy vehicle drivers.
“We urge the government to force the sector to get its house in order,” conservative chairman of the committee Huw Merriman says.
“If the industry don’t deliver change, government should do so and send them the bill through increased taxes to those who produce, sell and make the most profits.”
The committee’s road freight supply chain report found that a lack of high-quality rest facilities is a main reason behind a driver shortage.
The report says it must introduce minimum facility standards, including security, clean showers, toilets, healthy food options and female driver services.
The committee wants to see more done to encourage women and younger drivers to join the workforce.
“We’ve been here before – in 2016 the transport committee called for action in the haulage sector but little changed,” Merriman says.
“Lack of diversity is holding expansion in the workforce back.”