Grant Shapps announces ‘temporary extension’ of safety limits amid strain on logistics industry
The government is to relax rules this month for how long lorry drivers can work, as a temporary fix for a severe shortage of qualified heavy goods vehicle (HGV) operators.
“We’re aware of a shortage of HGV drivers, so I’m announcing a temp extension of drivers’ hours rules from Mon. 12 July, giving flexibility to drivers & operators to make slightly longer journeys,” the transport secretary, Grant Shapps, wrote in a Twitter post. “We’ve ramped up the number of driving tests available & will consider other measures.”
