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Policy wins – September 2022
The logistics industry faces significant challenges and Logistics UK has had a busy year to date pushing for change in the key policy areas that matter most to members.
IMPROVEMENTS TO OPERATIONAL EFFICIENCY
Changes to the tachograph recording obligations for demonstrating activity away from an in-scope vehicle resulted in occasional drivers needing to spend a great deal of time making manual entries to comply with the legislation. This became a significant barrier to operational efficiency and Logistics UK collected evidence from members to demonstrate this impact. Following this, we have engaged with officials from the Department for Transport, and through our membership of the Commercial Vehicle Road Safety Forum. This has resulted in guidance being issued from DfT for members on how DVSA will enforce the new requirements.
ADDRESSING THE SHORTAGE OF LOGISTICS SKILLS
Logistics UK has been actively highlighting the need to address the shortage of available industry skills in the logistics sector. Logistics UK sits on the Migration Advisory Committee stakeholder group and has raised the significant challenge of the shortage of HGV drivers and mechanics. Currently, mechanics are on the Skilled Worker Visa but not on the Shortage Occupation List, while HGV drivers do not meet the minimum skills requirement. We have called for this to be changed to assist members in increasing their workforce. The Migration Advisory Committee has now been commissioned to review the Shortage Occupation List and the Skilled Worker Visa. Logistics UK welcomes this review, which provides an opportunity to formally call for the changes we are seeking. We will consult with members ahead of responding.
CHANGES TO DRIVER LICENSING PROCESSES
The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency has introduced a new change to driver medical assessments that is more efficient. Previously, medical assessments could only seek medical assessments from doctors, which hampered professional drivers obtaining their driving licence application. Logistics UK raised the issue with the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency, explaining the effect that the delays were having on the processing of applications. The change enables other medical professionals to conduct assessments, pertaining to their skills, increasing the speed of medical assessments, and enabling drivers to gain their licence more quickly.
*www.logistics.org.uk/campaigns
Published On: 08/09/2022 16:00:04
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