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Heavy Vehicle Service and Maintenance apprenticeship increase welcomed but remains insufficient and “fails to recognise the needs of industry”
Following the outcome of the exceptional funding review for apprenticeships, Logistics UK has expressed its disappointment at the small increase in funding for the Heavy Vehicle Service and Maintenance apprenticeship.
The business group has highlighted the barriers this may create in relation to the industry’s skills shortage, particularly regarding HGV technicians – of which there is a significantly growing recruitment challenge.
“While it is encouraging to note an increase in funding for the HGV C+E apprenticeship, from £7,000 to £8,000, the announced financial support for the Heavy Vehicle Service and Maintenance apprenticeship is limited,” Jonas Keat, Policy Advisor at Logistics UK.
“In 2017, funding for this apprenticeship was £18,000. However, in 2018 this was lowered to £15,000. While we are pleased that the announcement includes an increase in funding to £20,000, this only represents a £2,000 rise since 2017.”
Following conversations with members, Logistics UK – together with key industry bodies – wrote a joint letter to the Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education (IfATE) calling for the funding to be increased to £23,000 in line with inflation, and repeated these calls to the Secretaries of State for Education and Transport.
“Currently, there are limited providers of the Heavy Vehicle Service and Maintenance apprenticeship course across the UK,” continues Mr Keat.
“This is primarily due to the high cost of the course, which often generates a loss in revenue for training providers. We are therefore disappointed to see that the outcome of this review has failed to recognise the needs of industry; if skills shortages are to be resolved, sufficient support must be given to the providers who are being relied upon to deliver this training.”
Logistics UK will continue to engage with government to prevent the number of courses declining further.
Published On: 29/06/2023 12:00:00
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Anticipated delay for smart tachograph 2 implementation in domestic vehicles
The Department for Transport (DfT) has notified Logistics UK of its intention, in July, to lay down legislation in Parliament that would amend the implementation of the smart tachograph 2, due to come into force for newly registered in-scope vehicles on 21 August 2023.
As a result of an issue related to problems authenticating the satellite signal used to monitor when a vehicle crosses an international border, new vehicle units from 21 August 2023 will be classed as transitional tachographs until this issue has been rectified.
Subject to final checks, the DfT intends to:
- Legislate to permit the use of transitional smart tachograph 2 for vehicles undertaking international journeys between the UK and the EU from 21 August 2023.
- Defer the requirement for newly registered in-scope vehicles used exclusively in the UK to be fitted with a smart tachograph 2 (including transitional) until 21 February 2024.
It’s anticipated that this legislation will be laid in July 2023 and come into effect on 21 August 2023.
Logistics UK will inform members on the status of these proposals as they become law.
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