Government asks German residents to drive lorries even if they never have before
UK shoppers have been warned they should buy their Christmas dinner soon and put it in the freezer to avoid disappointment, as Boris Johnson’s plan to give 5,000 foreign lorry drivers temporary visas continues to be panned.
The government hopes that workers brought in from overseas will help “save” the holiday but food and haulage industry leaders were quick to pour cold water on the scheme.
“Ultimately, now I think we have just run out of time,” James Withers, of Scotland Food & Drink, told The Independent. “I don’t think there is anything that can be done now to get the Christmas trade where it should be.”
It comes as it was revealed ministers have urged thousands of Germans living in the UK to drive lorries in a bid to assist with the HGV shortage – even if they have never driven one before.
Germans based in Britain were sent a letter by the Department for Transport, signed by transport minister Baroness Vere, asking them to “consider returning” to the HGV driving sector. “Your valuable skills and experience have never been more needed than they are now,” it states, as the government scrambles to counter shortages.
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Map shows areas hit hardest by UK’s fuel crisis
A traffic light system has been drawn up to monitor the current fuel shortage crisis.
According to Whitehall’s own analysis, London, the South East, the North West, the West Midlands and the East Midlands have fuel levels at less than 20 percent, putting them in the red, the Times reported.
Yorkshire, the North East and Wales, places which have seen supplies increasing, have been moved from red to amber.
Scotland will be moving from amber to green and Northern Ireland is already in the green.
However, average fuel levels at forecourts remain at 20 percent for the fourth day running, compared with a usual 43 percent.
Ella Glover1 October 2021 19:06
‘Less out-of-fuel breakdowns’ but smaller fuel stations struggling, motoring group says
While the fuel shortage crisis continues to ease, smaller, independent fuel stations are expected to struggle this weekend, a motoring group has said.
The RAC motoring group said that the number of out-of-fuel breakdowns its patrol vehicles dealt with on Thursday is down from Monday but still stands at nearly five times the usual number.
RAC spokesman Simon Williams said: “While the fuel delivery…
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