Britain is set to loosen rules governing foreign lorry drivers to ease supply chain shortages in the run-up to Christmas, according to reports today.
Drivers from the EU can now only make two pick-ups or drop-offs each week, but the government is considering expanding that to unlimited deliveries/collections within a 14 day period.
Changes to the rules might be implemented as early as December, according to the reports.
Britain is short of as many as 90,000 HGV qualified drivers due to a combination of Brexit, Covid and disruptions to training programmes last year according to hauliers.
The problem has spread to all areas of the country with this week the port at Felixstowe temporarily turning away container ships due to the landed cargoes not being picked up quickly enough.
The government has already promised 5,000 temporary visas would be issued to EU drivers to boost driver numbers, but take-up of this scheme has reportedly been low.
If passed, the pickup changes would come in "towards the end of this year for up to six months", according to the government.
Transport Secretary Grant Shapps told BBC Breakfast: "Having some additional capacity right now... it is a good idea. This is a quick way of doing it. It doesn't require visas, it's just a common-sense measure.
"It is one of very many things. I don't think it is going to undercut or suppress the market."
Meanwhile, the Unite union said it is to consult with thousands of supermarket and delivery drivers over the pay and conditions in the sector.
Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: “Unite will be consulting its members before deciding on next steps, including exploring the options for industrial action. I will not allow workers to pay the price for the pandemic."
The union wants haulage firms to offer fair and equal pay for long-serving drivers, better stop facilities and new starters to be offered salaries of up to £50,000 a year.
Rules allowing drivers to work up to 10 hours a day should also come to an end, it said.
On Wednesday, Unite said it had secured a ‘significant’ pay rise for more than 200 DHL lorry drivers employed at the Sainsbury’s regional distribution centre in Dartford.
“The increase, worth 6.2 per cent, equates to at least £2,200 pound a year and comes after the drivers signalled their willingness to strike over pay during a consultative ballot held in August.”