The RHA has welcome approval by the Business and Innovation Department for an LGV apprenticeship trailblazer scheme – but said it wants confirmation that it will include payment for licences. The RHA will continue lobbying for a £150 million government fund for hauliers to train new drivers from the government.
Chief executive Richard Burnett said: “The approval of the LGV apprenticeship scheme is good news and a victory for our campaigning and lobbying work. However, it is essential that the apprenticeship includes the costs of licence acquisition. After all, licence acquisition lies at the very core of training new lorry drivers. An LGV apprenticeship that doesn’t cover the cost of the licence is like having a truck without an engine. At this stage, it’s just not clear if licence acquisition is covered by the scheme so we’ll be pressing this issue with ministers in the coming days.”
