Transport industry leaders are meeting Treasury officials today to set out why government funding for firms to train lorry drivers is vital.
The Freight Transport Association and the Road Haulage Association said in a joint statement ahead of the meeting: “The UK is facing a growing, structural shortage of lorry drivers. The clear message from our members is that the Chancellor should be concerned about the impact that this will have, increasingly, on the economy as a whole. It will damage what is an essential service industry and it will hold back growth.
“We calculate that we are 45,000 drivers short now. At least 40,000 will leave the industry over the next two years and yet we are only training at the rate of 17,000 a year.
“We welcome Chancellor Osborne’s invitation to discuss what urgent measures the government might take.
