HGV driver shortage is a Brexit consequence – Yorkshire Post Letters

THE Government has permitted EU HGV drivers to live and work here on a temporary basis in an attempt to resolve the supply chain crisis, and to save Christmas and a predicted large loss of support if Christmas was spoiled by this crisis.

Surely the current shortage of EU HGV drivers is an example of the law of intended consequences in action? If you repeatedly tell a group of people that they are not welcome in the country and that they are to go home, often using far less civil language, you cannot be surprised if this group does as you have instructed and goes home.

The reaction to the Government’s initiative shown on the Romanian news website illustrates that it is not being well received.

After all, why would a Romanian or any other EU national want to come to the UK for a maximum three-month contract when they can avail of longer term work elsewhere in the EU without the need for temporary visa?

Their reactions hopefully 
also demonstrate once and 
for all that not every EU 
national is desperate to receive some British pounds and 
pence.

From: Susan Chipping, Maple Close, Catterick Garrison.

I HAVE received one of the many letters sent out by the Department for Transport to HGV drivers (presumably at considerable cost to the taxpayer) asking me to consider returning.

I believe that around one million letters have been sent in addition to C1 drivers (allowing them to drive up to 7.5 tonne vehicles).

The letter mentions my valuable skills and experience, and I am indeed indebted to your columnist David Behrens (The Yorkshire Post, October 2) for his brief illustration of just how greatly these are indeed valued as he makes passing reference to the “anti-social manoeuvrings we associate with lorry drivers”.

Furthermore, ‘everyone else’ feels that large trucks are clogging up motorways and town centres.

However, I can put Mr Behrens at rest, I shall not be returning and adding to their number.

He is further in luck in that only 127 foreign drivers have applied for visas, and so it is likely there will still be a large shortage of drivers and fewer trucks.

He can celebrate by making full use of the presumably quieter motorways and town centres in search of basic essentials.

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