As previously reported in Logistics Magazine, the operator licensing regime will extend to selected vans from May 2022.
The road freight supply chain is facing many challenges and opportunities, including the ongoing shortage of HGV drivers, a patchwork of local urban regulations, and the need to decarbonise operations efficiently, Logistics UK told the Transport Select Committee’s inquiry at the House of Commons into the road freight supply chain yesterday (24 November 2021).
The government’s Integrated Rail Plan, announced last week (18 November 2021), which includes the removal of the proposed eastern leg of HS2, represents a missed opportunity to enhance the efficiency of supply chains in the North and Midlands, according to Logistics UK.
The announcement that building regulations have been altered to require new buildings to be fitted with electric vehicle charge points marks significant progress in the nation’s efforts to decarbonise transport, Logistics UK has said.
Logistics UK’s concerted campaign for greater government action on the nationwide driver shortage is paying dividends, with a string of government announcements and assurances.
Logistics UK attended the Department for Transport’s first industry stakeholder forum meeting on HGV driver training recently, following the government’s announcement last week that it is undertaking a sweeping review into the Driver CPC (Certificate of Professional Competence) regime.
While the driver shortage is still an urgent issue for the logistics sector, the government has announced a raft of mitigation measures to help ease the problem following extensive campaigning from Logistics UK.
Transport Secretary Grant Shapps MP has responded positively to Logistics UK’s request for financial support for van operators to transition to zero-emission vehicles (ZEVs) by 2030.
Logistics UK was invited to attend a roundtable meeting with Sir David Lewis, former CEO of Tesco, last week as the government seeks to get a grip on supply chain issues.
A Transport Select Committee report has raised a number of questions concerning the safety of smart motorways.
Supply chain challenges are not solely a UK problem, Michael Ellis QC MP, the Paymaster General, told Logistics UK members earlier this week (8 November 2021).
While the nationwide shortage of HGV drivers continues to be a pressing issue across the logistics sector, Logistics UK is making headway on several fronts through its engagement with senior officials at the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) and the Department for Transport (DfT).
The light commercial vehicle (LCV) market showed a marginal decline of 4.6% in October, according the latest figures published by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT).
Logistics UK’s Discover Logistics Careers campaign got off to a strong start last weekend (29-31 October 2021), the business group has said, with a repeat event already being planned for next year.
Following requests from industry, Transport Secretary Grant Shapps MP has extended the temporary relaxation of the enforcement of the retained EU drivers’ hours regulation in Great Britain until the beginning of next year, owing to continued pressures on local and national supply chains.
Logistics UK recognises the need for last week’s announcement (28 October 2021) by government of a temporary, limited extension to road haulage cabotage – the system under which overseas hauliers can transport goods between two places in the UK after completing their initial journey.
In its detailed submission to HM Treasury, ahead of the Spending Review and Autumn Budget, Logistics UK cited a survey of its members, which showed that van operators are being hampered from scaling up EV deployment owing to the high costs of increasing electricity to depots to power a whole fleet.
Andy Eastlake, CEO of Zemo Partnership, Jackie Hewson, Alternative Fuels Implementation Manager – Transport at John Lewis Partnership, and Elaine Pringle, Fleet Manager at Scottish Water are the latest speakers confirmed to present at Logistics UK’s FREE ‘Route to Net Zero’ webinar, which will see the business group launch its decarbonisation manifesto virtually from Glasgow.
Following the recent publication of the government’s Net Zero Strategy ahead of the COP26 international conference in Glasgow, decarbonisation is rapidly climbing to the top of the logistics sector’s agenda.
When the Department for Transport (DfT) published its long-awaited Transport Decarbonisation Plan (TDP) in July, it also produced a raft of other documents alongside it relating to the UK’s plans to reach net zero emissions. Chief among these was the non-zero emission HGV Phase-Out Consultation.
Logistics Magazine will cover all the latest news on stories breaking in the industry, including developments on COVID-19, Brexit, Clean Air Zones, transport law and decarbonisation.
Our frequent features will tackle the broader issues affecting logistics such as the COVID-19 vaccination programme, technology and innovation, the political and economic landscape, global trade and the drive to reduce emissions across all transport modes.
Each month we explore a different topic in depth in our popular Compliance section, while each week we will publish answers put to our Member Advice Centre team.
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