Lorry driver shortage: 'All you hear about is negativity'

A lorry driver has blamed "negativity" around the industry for the shortage of people wanting to do the job.

Rob Chapman, based in Ellington, near the A14 and A1 in Cambridgeshire, said a reduction in the number of dedicated truck stops across the country was a major factor, forcing drivers to use lay-bys as toilets and for rest stops.

"There's nothing to attract people to the industry... it's all negativity," he said.

"If you've got no facilities, no-one's going to want to come in. You don't want to live in your lorry all of the time."

The Department for Transport said: "We recently announced a package of measures to help tackle the HGV driver shortage. However, most of the solutions are likely to be driven by industry... with progress already being made in testing and hiring, and a big push towards improving pay, working conditions and diversity."

The Road Haulage Association blamed "long-winded bureaucracy" for a lack of truck stops.