New talks address UK skills shortage
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• The government is to explore ways of improving training and recruitment in road haulage after worsening skill shortages across the industry were highlighted to ministers.
A working party is to meet for the first time this autumn as part of the government's 10year programme to tackle national transport problems. It will include representatives from the Transport & General Workers' Union, the Freight Transport Association, the Road Haulage
Association and the Department of Transport.
The Driving Standards Agency says the number of dri vers passing HGV tests has slumped to its lowest level for at least a decade with 20,998 passing last year compared with 40,514 in 1990-91. The latest quarterly activity survey from the FTA shows
companies experiencing increasing difficulties recruiting drivers and workshop staff with the South-East, West Midlands, South-West and East Anglia the worst 1-ft areas.
Andrew Dodgshon, TGWU spokesman, denies the working party will just be a talking shop. 'We see it as the first step to dealing with the situation in a co-ordinated and practical manner."