HGV drivers are set to benefit from £20 million of funding for better roadside facilities in a bid to tackle the UK driver shortage.
The Government is asking roadside service providers to apply for a slice of the £20 million allocated to improve security, lighting and shower rooms at service stations.
Currently, the sector is understaffed with an estimated shortfall of around 90,000 drivers due to a number of factors including Brexit and a recruitment image problem.
It is hoped the funding, part of National Highways’ existing £169 million Users and Communities Fund, will improve facilities making a career on the road a more attractive prospect.
Roadside service operators are being encouraged to apply for the multimillion-pound fund immediately.
Mags Simpson, Head of Policy Engagement at trade body Logistics UK, which represents more than half of the UK’s HGV fleet, said the funding is a ' positive step forward' for industry.
She said: "Logistics UK members have previously cited the lack of available lorry parking and suitable roadside facilities as one of the main barriers to recruitment and as a result, an increase in funding for this vital sector of the economy is much welcomed news.
"It is vital that these key workers, who are charged with keeping the nation stocked with all its required goods, have a safe place to take these breaks."
The Chancellor’s budget committed £32.5 million to provide better facilities and the funding takes the total government investment in driver facilities to £52.5 million since last year.
A Logistics UK Skills Report 2021 outlines the steps taken by both government and industry to help address recruitment issues that have plagued the sector for years.
Among the measures is a £34 million investment by government to create new HGV Skills Bootcamps to train more than 11,000 people to become HGV drivers in England.
The number of HGV driving tests available increased by 90% compared to pre-pandemic levels through measures including overtime and allocating additional employees into testing
The processing of provisional HGV driving licences was prioritised at the DVLA. According to Government figures, in the last 6 months DVLA processed more than 240,000 vocational (bus and lorry) licence applications.
In December 2021, DVLA issued 14,210 provisional vocational driving licences, 150% more than in the equivalent pre-pandemic month in December 2019.
Meanwhile, DVSA carried out an unprecedented 27,144 HGV driving tests between October and December last year compared to the same period in 2019 when 17,685 HGV tests were carried out.
Ken McMeikan, CEO of Moto hospitality said the announcement is a welcome boost for the UK’s HGV drivers.
Moto has been investing £12.5 million in upgrading its showers and toilet facilities.
He said: "We look forward to making an application to this £20 million fund, which would allow us to accelerate our plans for enhanced security and increase the physical number of showers we can offer."
