Tuesday’s (20 July 2021)’s announcement of a government plan to support the recovery of the logistics sector and tackle HGV driver shortages acknowledges industry concerns over testing delays and the simplification of the process involved in the acquisition of an HGV licence.
The expected launch of the new C+E driver apprenticeship standard for Large Goods Vehicles on 1 August, with a funding level of £7,000, is encouraging news for the logistics sector, particularly for businesses currently struggling to fill driving vacancies, Logistics UK has said.
It is estimated that more than 1,400 HGV drivers were forced to spend the night sleeping in their cabs on Sunday, owing to a chronic lack of safe and secure parking spaces for their vehicles.
When it comes to decarbonising the UK’s commercial vehicle parc, the Light Commercial Vehicle (LCV) sector promises to be the scene of the earliest wins.
Transport Secretary Grant Shapps MP heralded the government’s publication of its long-awaited Transport decarbonisation plan yesterday (14 July 2021) as “just the start” of a revolution that will see all modes of domestic transport decarbonised by 2050.
Employment Minister Mims Davies MP met with Logistics UK and A.I.M Commercial Services Ltd at the company’s site in Ripley, Derbyshire this week (14 July 2021), to discuss how best to attract new recruits to the sector and help businesses across logistics to drive the economic recovery.
Logistics UK reacted with dismay to the announcement last week (7 July 2021) of the continued relaxation of drivers’ hours legislation until 8 August 2021, which governs the length of time which HGV drivers are legally expected to work.
Following a challenging assessment day at Bott Ltd in Ashby-de-la-Zouch, Sam Burton of Wayfair has been crowned Logistics UK’s Van Driver of the Year 2021. Burton – who is based in Leicestershire – made it a double success, also being named as Logistics UK’s Van Excellence Driver, a category open only to certified operators of the business group’s Van Excellence scheme.
Logistics UK has announced which of the UK’s best van drivers have been shortlisted to take part in its Van Driver of the Year contest, taking place this weekend (Saturday 10 July 2021) at Bott Ltd in Ashby-de-la-Zouch.
The Department for Transport has estimated that more than 20,000 vans will come into scope of operator licensing when the changes come into force in May 2022.
The decision by ministers to withdraw powers from Kent County Council (KCC) to clamp HGVs parked in lay-bys across Kent beyond 30 June 2021 has been applauded by Logistics UK.
Logistics UK has stepped up its work with both its members and the government to help the industry address the HGV driver shortage issue, which continues to be a serious cause for concern.
Keynote speaker British astronaut Major Tim Peake issued an urgent climate change warning to attendees at this year’s Future Logistics Conference, part of ITT Hub, yesterday (Wednesday 30 June 2021).
Following last week’s announcement that all new road-building projects in Wales will be frozen while the Welsh Government conducts a review, Logistics UK has warned that any freeze in road spend risks putting the brakes on the country’s logistics sector and wider economy.
Logistics UK announced the launch of a brand-new eLearning course, Van Driver Safety Training, yesterday (30 June 2021), with the aim of ensuring the four million vans currently on the UK’s roads are being driven safely, efficiently and in compliance with government legislation.
Elizabeth de Jong, Logistics UK’s Director of Policy, met with Minister for Investment Lord Grimstone this week (Monday 28 June 2021), to discuss the potential market for connected and autonomous mobility (CAM) within the UK’s logistics sector.
The shortage of HGV drivers is now so severe that it is placing real pressure on the UK's interconnected supply chain, Logistics UK has said.
Decarbonisation is a high priority for businesses operating vans of any fleet size, and to support this, Logistics UK has announced a session dedicated to exploring the future of vans at its upcoming Future Logistics Conference, part of the ITT Hub event.
To help address the current recruitment crisis, Logistics UK will be holding a member briefing on Tuesday 13 July, in partnership with the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) and the Department for Education (DfE).
Owing to the severe staff shortages reported by the industry, many logistics operators are increasingly looking to recruit personnel leaving the armed forces.
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.
View Supplements and previous printed editions of Logistics Magazine here.
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