Chesterfield MP shows support for National Lorry Week amid national shortage of HGV drivers
Mr Perkins visited the Road Haulage Association (RHA) event in Parliament on Wednesday, October 20, to celebrate the industry and discuss issues currently facing the logistics sector both nationally and locally in Chesterfield and Staveley.
He joined cross-party MPs and Peers to sign the RHA pledge which is urging the government to take action to improve rest facilities and ensure adequate parking for HGV drivers.
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Hide AdIt also stresses the need for both short and long-term solutions to help resolve the crippling effects of the HGV driver shortage – something which has been linked with gaps on supermarket shelves and recent panic buying at the fuel pumps.
Mr Perkins said: “I am pleased to show my support for HGV drivers and road haulage firms during National Lorry Week. The recent crisis has demonstrated just how we rely upon them to keep our country running.”
He added “Many of my constituents have been in touch about their concerns as food supplies have often run low and there are fears ahead of Christmas.
"It is essential that the government get a grip on this crisis and meet with the road haulage industry, training providers, affected business groups and transport unions to ensure that there are immediate and long-term plans in place.”
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Hide AdPrior to the pandemic, UK road transport businesses employed approximately 600,000 HGV drivers and contributed an average of over £13 Billion a year to the UK economy.
But, over the course of the last eighteen months, the logistics industry has faced many challenges including a fall in the number of qualified drivers exacerbated by the loss of over a year of driver training and testing, the departure of a significant number of EU drivers and increased industry pressures brought on by Covid-19.
There is now a deficit of 100,000 HGV drivers in the UK and supply chains are feeling the pressure.
James Bower from the United Road Transport Union (URTU) said: “The United Road Transport fully supports the RHA pledge to urged the government to take action to improve rest facilities and ensure adequate parking for HGV drivers.
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Hide Ad"The government needs to concentrate on improving the pay and working conditions of already hard working professional drivers.”