Is there a petrol shortage in the UK and why are fuel stations closing?

Why is there a shortage of drivers?

Over the past few months, many companies have reported difficulties in hiring HGV drivers, which has led to empty shelves in supermarkets and forced restaurants to trim back their menus. 

James Wroath, who heads up Wincanton, one of Britain’s biggest haulage companies, says there are a number of reasons behind the shortage. 

During the pandemic, thousands of UK drivers who hailed from Europe returned to the Continent to be closer to their families and have yet to return. Some also left after Brexit.

He also argues that working conditions for lorry drivers have made it hard to entice remaining drivers back into roles, which often require long hours and sleeping in laybys during journeys. 

Meanwhile, a backlog of new drivers waiting to take their tests is holding back recruitment, with thousands reported to be stuck in the system. The Government recently sought to address the problem by streamlining the testing process so that candidates did not have to take multiple tests before being able to drive different lorry categories. 

However, industry groups warn this is “no quick fix” – particularly with pass rates of 56pc and only 3,000 people a week able to take their tests under the new regime.