Increased salaries for HGV drivers leaves Welsh coach companies short-staffed

Coach companies across Wales face staff shortages as many drivers say they are being enticed by the higher salaries being offered to HGV drivers.

The crisis is a knock-on effect following the high demand for lorry drivers as a consequence of Covid and Brexit.

A range of businesses across the country have suffered supply shortages due to the lack of HGV drivers, meaning salaries for the jobs have increased.

The shortage of coach drivers means that coach companies and school bus services have started to suffer.

One Welsh company, Cymru Coaches, say they're in a worst situation now than in the height of the pandemic.

Despite many making the move to become a HGV driver, the industry is still falling short by 76,000 drivers across the UK.

A backlog in training and taking driving tests also means there are very few new drivers coming into the field of work.

Boris Johnson has refused to rule out issuing more visas to overseas lorry drivers in order to tackle the current supply shortages. But when asked on whether immigration rules would be relaxed, he said the situation will be kept "under review".

Temporary visas are being offered to 4,700 more HGV drivers to help deliver food.

As vehicles continue to queue for fuel at petrol stations nationwide, the government announced up to 300 fuel tanker drivers will be allowed to work in the UK immediately on a temporary basis up until March 2022.

Some believe the HGV crisis has grown over a number of years.

Mark Drakeford said the shortages are a problem of the Conservative UK Government’s own making because “they took us out of the European Union.”

The industry is still falling short by 76,000 HGV drivers across the UK Credit: PA

A Welsh Government spokesperson has said, "Driver training, testing and vocational licensing is a non-devolved matter, however we are in discussion with the DVLA and DVSA to determine what can be done to address the issue of bus and HGV driver shortages.

"Together with the Department for Work and Pensions and bus industry trade associations, we are looking at ways of supporting the industry with pilot initiatives around driver recruitment and staff retention.

"We are also working on a bus driver recruitment campaign as well as using our ReACT back to work programme to bring people into the sector."