London, UK: The government has rejected calls from the food and transport industry to allow truck drivers and other workers into the UK to combat labour shortages.
“Logistics UK is frustrated with the government’s decision to reject the logistics industry’s calls for temporary visas to be made available for EU HGV drivers as a short-term solution while new domestic drivers are recruited, trained and tested,” said Alex Veitch, general manager, public policy, Logistics UK.
“While these new domestic drivers are trained and qualify into the workforce, which can take up to nine months, and DVSA works through its backlog of outstanding HGV driver tests – which we estimate could take until early 2022 – temporary visas made available for European workers would help to overcome the current supply chain problems experienced across the country.
“The industry needs drivers now, and we have been urging the government to replicate its temporary visa scheme, introduced for agricultural workers, for logistics to keep trucks and vans moving in the short term.”
Meat and poultry processors – traditionally reliant on EU workers, report severe staff shortages.
Business survey’s show Britain’s recovery is being held back by record levels of disruption in supply chains, as backlogs and bottlenecks hit manufacturers and staff shortages slow growth.
The Confederation of British Industry’s latest Industrial Trends Survey found that manufacturers are suffering the worst stock shortages on record, with supply chains upended by escalating shipping costs and impact of the pingdemic on staffing levels.
The business index published by IHS Markit and the Chartered Institute of Procurement and Supply showed the the UK’s economic rebound continued to lose momentum this month: the flash composite purchasing managers’ index for August fell to 55.3, from 59.2 in July, a six-month low.
IHS Markit said the number of companies reporting that staff shortages were hurting growth was a record 14 times the normal level.
Supply of many key products is running low amid “near-unprecedented” delays and bumper backlogs, with delivery times continuing to lengthen at an alarming rate.
