CUTTING CORNERS on health and safety and putting road users in danger appears to be the UK Government’s latest solution to fast-tracking new drivers into the haulage industry.

Back in June, I wrote on this very column about the struggles we were seeing nationwide to attract and retain Heavy Goods Vehicle (HGV) drivers and the subsequent impact this was having on our supply chains. I wrote about the appalling conditions many drivers were subjected to, the red tape constricting their every move, and the poor wages being driven down by profit hungry companies.

The UK Government’s response was to get more people into the sector as quickly as possible by increasing testing capacity, but it comes at a cost, with a consultation in progress which would see certain elements of training by-passed, to speed up an already very quick training process.

Not at any point has the Government resolved to tackle the pay conditions within the industry or improve the rights of these drivers, their sticky plaster solution of fast-tracking training is perpetuating the churning out of inexperienced drivers with only a handful of days training under their belt. But with a licence that allows them to sit behind the wheel of a 55-foot artic lorry, weighing up to 44 tonnes.

It is a disaster waiting to happen and one which is causing huge concern with HGV trainers across the UK who are responsible for training people to the required standard to obtain these licences. They are then tested by the DVSA to see if they are suitably proficient to hold an HGV licence.

I spoke to Michael Taylor from Inverness who has been training drivers for five years and has more than 30 years of experience driving HGVs himself. He explained that the Government is currently considering allowing individuals who want to drive an artic lorry, to by-pass the current process of completing a rigid lorry test first.

A rigid lorry doesn’t have much flexibility between the cab and the trailer, but it’s still much larger, slower, heavier and can gross up to 32 tonnes in weight – they are a good starter vehicle to work up from. An artic lorry on the other hand, is made up of two parts, a cab pulling a trailer and can weigh up to 44 tonnes. It’s a big leap making the move from one to the other.

Michael confirmed my concerns that by considering scrapping the current staging requirements for licence acquisition, the Government would be effectively greenlighting unscrupulous trainers throughout the UK to seize this opportunity to make a quick buck by churning out drivers who are a danger to other road users.

I put this to the Road Haulage Association, who told me that under present legislation, an individual can already go from a car licence to an articulated licence in a matter of weeks, so it would simply speed up an already very quick training process.

They would rather the consultation looked at addressing the current training scheme, so drivers come out with better all round experience within the sector on things like safely loading and securing cargo, as well as just driving. But the reality of the matter is that no one is willing to pay for it.

I spoke to agency driver Alexander McCabe who told me that HGV drivers are given no training on how to load their trucks and secure their cargo and are likely to make mistakes without the experience which comes from getting to know how weight is distributed throughout the vehicle.

Experience which drivers like Alexander and Michael gained as young kids, from sitting in the cabs alongside family members and mentors, long before it came time to sit their tests. But like many things in today’s cotton wool culture, this was deemed an insurance risk and banned.

In 17 years, Alexander’s pay has increased a total of £1.07 to £11.07 an hour. Not only is he driving trucks worth £125,000 but he is often carrying cargo worth three-quarters of a million and is fully responsible for the safety of that load. It is absolutely appalling that there has been no minimum wage set to protect drivers in this industry or equally remunerate them according to their experience.

Another barrier which I’m told is preventing drivers from joining the industry is that there isn’t any separation between a driver’s HGV and car licence, which means a penalty incurred in a professional capacity will impact on their personal life, and vice versa.

Since Brexit, many European drivers have returned home and UK hauliers won’t fill the gap for the poor rates being offered, accelerating a driver shortage which has been bubbling away for the last decade and has now reached a crisis point.

Desperation to keep our shelves stocked has prompted supermarkets to offering bonuses to drivers to join their fleets, which is leading to drivers jumping ship to where they can make the most money.

Drivers I’ve spoken to explain that this isn’t going to solve the problem long term as it doesn’t tackle the poor base rates of pay in the sector. But they aren’t going to turn down an opportunity to make hay while the sun shines.

It’s time for the UK Government to wake up and address the pay conditions within the haulage sector if they want to seriously attract and retain a homegrown workforce. These sticky plaster solutions do nothing to address fundamental flaws in the system and will only come back to haunt them when incidents on our roads soar in the months to come. HGV drivers are vital to the fabric of this nation’s economy, and it is time they were given the appropriate remuneration and respect for their efforts.