Nottinghamshire HGV testing centre opens after rule change

A national shortage of drivers has lead to changes in the rules for testing

The first lorry drivers are taking their HGV tests after changes to the rules came into force.

Earlier in the year it emerged the UK faced a shortfall of about 90,000 drivers, which has hit the supply of food, petrol and other goods.

The government then made changes to the testing system, including using private testing centres for the first time.

Now a centre near Sutton in Ashfield, Nottinghamshire, is seeing its first applicants.

The driver shortage has been blamed on an aging workforce, post-Brexit employment changes and pandemic disruption.

Giles Allen, who runs the testing centre, called the changes 'a massive step forward'

It is hoped the changes, which also include shortening the test and making an articulated license cover smaller vehicles, will free up to 50,000 more slots each year.

These changes have been put into place at Peter Smythe Transport Training.

Giles Allen, managing director at the firm, said: "The DVSA [Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency] have worked really, really hard to enable us to do this.

"It will - by us taking on these tests - free up the DVSA to carry out more tests, which will enable us to train more people and get more bums on seats behind the wheel.

"It's fantastic. It's a massive step forward."

David Lindop, financial director at AW Jenkinson Transport, believes the new system will make a big difference.

"We have had to send apprentices up to 200 miles away from their home depot to get tested, that involved putting them up in hotels," he said.

"The move today is really going to help open up the slots going forward and we should hopefully be able to increase the number of apprentices from two to four and hopefully six a month," he said.