The on-the-job training system has been created by training provider Seetec Outsource in collaboration with Breedon Group. The partnership hopes that by offering more urban route work, they can tackle the ongoing HGV crisis by attracting young drivers to this career.

According to official government data, the number of people employed as HGV drivers in any industry fell by 53,000 from January 2016 to June 2021.

So far, 30 drivers from across Britain have joined the Urban Driver scheme, which will focus on short-haul journeys in towns and cities that rarely require overnight routes. By concentrating on a better work-life balance, its founders hope they will appeal to anyone who may have previously dismissed traditional HGV work.

Lloyd DeVal, director of sector skills at Seetec, said: “Breedon is a great example of a large organisation that has embraced the flexibility and empowerment that apprenticeships bring to the workplace.

“The Urban Driver apprenticeship clearly demonstrates how apprenticeships are helping to tackle an ageing workforce, the pandemic and changing restrictions following Brexit.”

The scheme will allow its employees to reach a Class 2 licence for vehicles weighing between 3.5 and 32 tonnes in just four to six months.

Seetec also commented that the apprenticeship is now more important than ever as up to a quarter of lorry drivers are expected to leave the industry over the next three years, according to a recent survey of HGV drivers.

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Despite the addition of 120 gritters to this year’s roads, the driver crisis may prevent them from being used to their full potential over the winter months. The caution comes from the Local Government Association (LGA), which is the national body for the UK’s local authorities.

In recent months, some councils have had difficulty keeping waste collection services running due to the current shortage of HGV drivers. Councillor David Renard, transport spokesperson for the LGA commented on the impact this could have on gritters:

“While most councils have been able to keep services running, some may find that their gritting services are affected in the same way that some have seen waste collection services impacted. As they do every year, councils will be working proactively to plan ahead and ensure that their winter services are as resilient as they can be.”

The LGA has commented that the training of new drivers offers the best long term solution to the problem, ensuring local councils can replenish their staff as necessary in future. Until this happens, the issue of driver shortages is likely to prove a challenge over the winter.

“Fast inflating HGV driver salaries in the private sector risks exacerbating issues in the public sector, with the rises potentially creating a retention as well as a recruitment problem for councils and their contractors.

“We want to work with (the) Government to address these short term staffing issues to ensure people across the country can continue to receive the services they rely upon.”

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The organisation leading the study is set to receive a reported £2m, which falls under the £20m allocated to zero-emission road freight trials under the DfT’s plan. Decarbonising lorries will help to build a more environmentally friendly road network across the UK.

Heavy goods vehicles are currently responsible for almost a 5th (18%) of all road CO2 emissions, despite making up just 1.2% of traffic. By 2040, all new diesel and petrol lorries in Britain are due to be banned, meaning a new system is needed to provide alternative power for these large vehicles. 

The ‘e-highway’ will involve the installation of overhead wires on up to 19 miles of the M180. The technology, similar to that which powers trains and trams, will charge a battery that has been fitted into each lorry as it’s being driven. Lorries cannot run on a single charge like electric cars, because they require too much power.

Similar plans have been trialled in Germany and Sweden on a smaller scale. If the study goes ahead, this will be the first large-scale deployment of such technology worldwide. The vehicles and their power cables could be on British roads as early as 2024.

William Wilson, CEO of Siemens Mobility Limited, said: “Investing in proven technologies like e-highways can help us go further and faster to decarbonise the UK’s transport network, and support jobs and growth to level up the country.

“By building on successful trials from other countries like Germany, our ERS consortium M180 trial will help the UK move a step closer to replacing more polluting trucks with clean, efficient electric HGVs.”

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Grant Shapps, MP and Secretary of State for Transport, announced the extension in a tweet that said: “We’re aware of a shortage of HGV drivers, so I’m announcing a temporary extension of drivers’ hours rules from Mon 12 July, giving flexibility to drivers & operators to make slightly longer journeys. We’ve ramped up the number of driving tests available & will consider other measures.”

The change comes as a result of the significant shortage of HGV drivers in the UK, which has caused problems across the country. This is likely due to a combination of factors, including the effects of Brexit and the Covid-19 pandemic. The RHA (Road Haulage Association) estimates that there is a shortfall of around 100,000 drivers.

The low number of drivers has led to delays in supply chains and the movement of goods. Some retailers have stated that there could be stock shortages if it continues, and food waste could increase.

However, RHA Chief Executive Richard Burnett, said: “Loading more hours on to drivers that are already exhausted is not the answer – the problem needs more than just a sticking plaster. Ministers should be mindful that road safety is the reason HGV drivers’ hours are limited.”

The current allowance for drivers is nine hours per day, which must contain a break of at least 45 minutes halfway through the journey. Under the new regulation, this would rise to 10 hours per day.

The new rules are set to begin on the 12th of July and end on the 8th of August.

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