Local authority leaders have warned that the HGV driver shortage might hit gritting services this winter.
Cllr David Renard, transport spokesperson for the Local Government Association (LGA), has said that councils are working to ensure that their winter services are as resilient as they can be.
However, he warned that the shortage of HGV drivers could undermine the ability of local authorities to ensure local roads are safe to drive on this winter.
‘While most councils have been able to keep services running, some may find that their gritting services are affected in the same way that some have seen waste collection services impacted,’ he said.
‘To ensure that the impact of HGV driver shortages in minimised on critical services over this winter, such as gritter drivers and for waste services, we would urge Government to consider all possibilities to work with councils to build staff capacity. This includes fast tracking HGV driver testing for council nominated drivers and supporting more training for these sectors.
‘It’s also vital that we work quickly to address these issues to ensure people across the country can continue to receive the services they rely upon over the winter period.’
