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<p>The Government has published details of the 32 specific measures to deal with the
shortage of HGV drivers on Gov.uk at:</p><p><a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/topical-events/hgv-driver-shortage-uk-government-response/about#stay-up-to-date"
target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/topical-events/hgv-driver-shortage-uk-government-response/about#stay-up-to-date</a></p><p><strong>Costs
of the Measures</strong></p><ul><li>The cost of processing visas for up to 4,700 HGV
drivers for the food industry and 300 fuel drivers were borne by the transport operators
and included travel, accommodation and the costs of the visas.</li><li>The cost of
processing endorsements for the fuel drivers was met within existing Department for
Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy budgets.</li><li>The extension of cabotage
rights for foreign hauliers in the UK to 30 April 2022 has no direct implementation
cost to Government.</li><li>£500,000 was added to the Mode Shift Revenue Support grant
scheme</li><li>The cost of the HGV Skills Bootcamps to train just over 11,000 more
people to become HGV drivers is £34 million.</li><li>Large Goods Vehicle Driver and
Urban Driver apprenticeships are funded through the Apprenticeship Levy.</li><li>The
closing date for applications for the £3,000 incentive payment to employers who employed
an apprentice is 15 May 2022. Therefore, costs are not yet available.</li><li>Data
is not yet available on how many learners have benefitted from the extra funding for
adults who completes a vocational qualification in HGV driving through the adult education
budget in the 2021 to 2022 academic year. Therefore, the cost cannot yet be calculated.</li><li>The
cost of the Department for Work and Pension’s driver training pilot delivered through
Jobcentre Plus is £82,150.</li><li>Road to Logistics received £1 million in grant
funding.</li><li>Think Logistics received £50,000 in grant funding.</li><li>The provisional
cost of deploying 24 Ministry of Defence driving examiners to conduct vocational driving
tests was £281,000 per month for up to 3 months.</li><li>The measures to make it easier
for former armed forces personnel to qualify as HGV drivers was funded through existing
Ministry of Defence budgets.</li><li>The cost of the letter sent to nearly 1 million
HGV drivers was £224,509.04 including printing, overheads and postage.</li><li>The
cost of the review of HGV parking and facilities will be a maximum of £360,038.05
(excluding VAT).</li><li>£32.5 million is being invested in roadside facilities for
HGV drivers, such as security, showers, toilets and eating areas.</li><li>The flexible
support fund is an existing budget to help jobseekers and those on Universal Credit
reenter the workplace and is available for Driver Certificate of Professional Competence
(CPC) training if appropriate.</li><li>The Department for Business, Energy and Industrial
Strategy and Ministry of Defence continue to work together to ensure accurate costs
of mobilising military tanker drivers to help make fuel deliveries are captured and
re-charged to the haulage industry as appropriate under Military Aid to the Civil
Authorities principles and pre-agreed contingency arrangements.</li><li>The cost of
suspension of the HGV road user levy until August 2023 is set out at: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/heavy-goods-vehicle-hgv-levy-suspension/heavy-goods-vehicle-hgv-levy-suspension"
target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/heavy-goods-vehicle-hgv-levy-suspension/heavy-goods-vehicle-hgv-levy-suspension</a></li><li>Other
measures such as the relaxation of drivers’ hours, restrictions on late night deliveries,
extension of driver qualifications and changes to regulation have been undertaken
using existing departmental budgets.</li><li>Increases in the number of vocational
driving tests taken and the number of driving licence applications received provides
addition income for the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency and the Driver and Vehicle
Licencing Agency. These schemes operate on the basis that users pay fees to cover
costs.</li></ul><p><strong>Assessment of Effectiveness</strong></p><p>These measures
are working to assist reducing the driver shortage and its consequences.</p><p>For
example, the number of available HGV driving tests has increased by over 100% compared
to pre-pandemic levels and currently stands at 3,200 tests per week. Test capacity
now exceeds demand, and the provision of vocational tests is not a barrier to people
becoming HGV drivers. Despite the increase in vocational driving licence applications
and licence renewals are being processed within five working days, unless further
medical checks are required.</p><p>Recent assessments by industry bodies such as Logistics
UK suggest that the shortfall in drivers is already reducing.</p>
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