“Even in the heady days before Covid or Brexit, the UK was lacking 76,000 HGV drivers” The only significant growth has been among EU drivers, whose numbers surged from 10,000 in 2010 to 45,000 in 2017. The workforce has become increasingly stretched over recent years for while demand continually grew, driver numbers remained steady at around 300,000, according to ONS figures. Even in the heady days before Covid or Brexit, the UK was already lacking around 76,000 drivers, according to Logistics UK. It should be noted first and foremost that Britain’s driver shortage is not a new phenomenon. The result has been a growing rift between camps, most tellingly industry and government.īut now with exclusive data, The Grocer is able to tell a fuller story, showing both the real causes behind the driver shortage as well as plotting a possible route out. While all involved each have their own take on the causes and solutions, there is a notable lack of evidence to support any distinct claim. It’s plaguing businesses of all shapes and sizes and leaving food shelves empty across the country. The low-level shortage of HGV drivers that has long troubled haulage and logistics professionals is now sizeable, acute, and urgent. What was once a quiet storm in the supply chain has escalated into a fully-fledged hurricane.
