The RHA has written to the Prime Minister urging him to allow the haulage industry access to EU and EEA labour before the supply chain collapses, amid reports that supermarkets are already struggling to receive goods.
The letter, which is co-signed by a raft of haulage and logistics bosses, said it was too late to train up HGV drivers to deal with the existing crisis and a temporary worker visa was now required to enable staff to be shipped in from abroad.
The RHA said it was clear that ministers at the Department for Transport and the Department for Work and Pensions had no immediate plan for resolving the deteriorating shortage of drivers and so the Prime Minister needed to step in and fast-track a solution.
The letter said: “We firmly believe that intervention from the Prime Minister/Cabinet Office is the only way that we will be able to avert critical supply chains failing at an unprecedented and unimaginable level.
“Supermarkets are already reporting that they are not receiving their expected food stocks and, as a result, there is considerable wastage.
“To make the situation even worse, summer holidays are fast approaching, and drivers will take their leave entitlement.
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“The lack of agency drivers to help support their absence will exacerbate the problem even further as will continued unlocking of the economy and the spikes in demand for food and drink created by the hot weather and major sporting events.”
RHA chief executive Richard Burnett said an estimated 100,000 skills shortage had been created by Covid, Brexit, retiring drivers, an ongoing test shortage and the introduction of IR35: “For clarity, we welcome legislation that ensures fair and equal tax for all,” he said.
“However, government must now recognise the repercussions of this and the other issues mentioned and urgently intervene to help us to resolve the resulting crisis.”
The letter, which is co-signed by Maritime Transport chief executive John Williams, Wincanton chief executive James Wroath and Malcolm Group chief executive Andrew Malcolm among others, concluded by saying there had never been a more challenging time for the industry.
The letter can be read here.
It follows a letter written by Moody Logistics’ MD Caroline Moody to transport secretary Grant Shapps, asking for urgent action to tackle the huge shortage of drivers.
