SMMT represents the UK automotive industry through the membership of companies involved in design, concept, manufacture, sale, after sale, disposal and recycling of motor vehicles, components and accessories. Log in. Search for:. Update Newsletter.
SMMT Events. Read more. Member Services. Twitter: smmt. SMMT News. We use this information to make the website work as well as possible and improve our services. You can change your cookie settings at any time. There has been a fall in the number of heavy goods vehicle HGV drivers, also known as large goods vehicle LGV drivers. How many drivers have left the profession and what is the impact on businesses and consumers? A shortage of hauliers and associated issues with logistics have led to some businesses reporting difficulties importing and exporting and may be leading to some consumers reporting not being able to find certain items in shops.
There has been a general decline in the number of heavy goods vehicle HGV drivers, officially known as large goods vehicle LGV drivers, working in the UK for the past four years. Most of that decline has been in the previous two years, particularly during the coronavirus pandemic. This is 39, fewer than the year ending June and 53, fewer than the peak for HGV driver employment, during the year ending June , The number of EU nationals employed as HGV drivers increased between and , but then decreased during the coronavirus pandemic.
The largest decline over the four years was among those aged 46 to 55 years. There were 52, vacancies for posts in transport and storage in the three months ending September , which is the highest since records began in Throughout this article, we have used the Annual Population Survey because it is based on a larger sample and has a lower margin of error when analysing occupations data than the Labour Force Survey.
The Office for National Statistics ONS does not recommend the use of the Labour Force Survey for this type of analysis because of small sample sizes and insufficient quality.
For context, when comparing the quarters April-June with April-June , the Labour Force Survey shows a fall of 68, across four years. The Annual Population Survey shows there has been a net fall of 42, UK nationals employed as HGV drivers since the year ending June , with , employed in the year ending June While the number of EU nationals employed as HGV drivers saw a small increase from just under 40, in the year ending June to 43, in the year ending March , the number has subsequently decreased during the coronavirus pandemic.
The number of younger HGV drivers has also fallen. Between and , the number of HGV drivers aged up to 35 years had generally been increasing and reached a peak of more than 68, in the year ending December , before decreasing again. The HGV driver workforce is older than the average across the total employed population. A scheme that will see 5, HGV drivers workers allowed to take up employment in the UK until Christmas Eve, in a bid to keep supermarket shelves stocked and tackle delivery difficulties at petrol stations was confirmed on Saturday night.
But there are doubts from haulage and business leaders that the visa changes go far enough to resolve what they say is a long-term issue. The Road Haulage Association estimates the UK is short of around , HGV drivers and that it will take at least 18 months to train enough skilled workers. Marc Fels, director of the HGV Recruitment Centre, said the numbers would not make a large dent in addressing the shortfall.
Toby Ovens, managing director of Broughton Transport Solutions, also said he did not believe the visa scheme would be much help.
Supermarkets alone have estimated they need at least 15, HGV drivers for their businesses to be able to operate at full capacity ahead of Christmas and avoid disruption or availability issues.
0コメント