As stated in the other topic, The Sun has produced the article online HERE:-thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/6083987/eu-kills-christmas-as-truckers-quit-over-new-course.html The article:- NEWS GOT A STORY? EMAIL: [email protected] Xmas crisis as truckers quit over £500 course Barrie Tozer 10 EXCLUSIVE By TOM MORGAN and NICK PISA Published: 6 hrs ago EU MEDDLERS have been accused of “killing Christmas” after festive deliveries were plunged into meltdown by a truck driver shortage. More than 20,000 British drivers have quit in the wake of a new Brussels edict forcing them to take 35 hours of extra training costing them £500 a time. The haulage industry is now 60,000 short of drivers - with families facing the grim prospect of presents failing to arrive for December 25. Truckers - who earn an average £500-a-week - last night blasted the “cynical money-spinning insult” from Euro fat cats. And business leaders spoke of their fears that the crisis will dent Britain’s economic recovery. The shortage comes amid record-breaking online orders - with 180million home deliveries forecast for November and December. Matthew Elliott, Chief Executive of Business for Britain, said: “The EU’s Bah Humbug approach to regulations could kill Christmas for British families. “Scrooge himself would be proud of how hard Brussels is making it to deliver presents on time. Excessive red tape hurts jobs, limits growth and now could spoil the country’s festive cheer.” The EU’S controversial Driver Certificate of Professional Competence became law in September. Trucker Barrie Tozer, 59 - who has launched an online campaign against the rules - said: “This is not about making British roads safer - it is a cynical money-spinning ploy to make politicians richer. “There’s nothing you can learn in a classroom which a driver couldn’t learn from a colleague who has been on the road for 30 years.” Another driver Jason Reeve, 44, from Northfleet, added: “This is an insult to our intelligence for those who have been driving for over 20 years.” Truck firms said businesses had ignored warnings about the law for five years - and some were now forcing drivers to pay themselves. The UK Commission for Employment and Skills said the industry is 60,000 drivers short. The Freight Transport Association blamed an ageing population of drivers - and said: “It’s the biggest problem the industry has ever had to face.” According to the FTA, the average age of an HGV driver in the UK is 53, with 45,000 due to retire over the next two years. Many older drivers opted for early retirement instead of spending the time and money to earn the right to work for a few more years. Logistics boss Julian Thompson, of 24-7 staffing, added: “I get dozens of calls every day from customers desperate for drivers. We are in crisis and Christmas will be on hold for families across the country.” Kate Gibbs, of the Road Haulage Association, said:”There’s a very good chance Christmas could be cancelled for some consumers. “You know what it’s like at Christmas, a siege mentality takes over and the shelves empty very quickly and normally they would be filled just as quickly but the shortage of truck drivers means its not happening.” Britain’s biggest retailers - including Tesco, Marks and Spencer and Amazon - last night declined to comment on the crisis. CASE STUDY 1 TRUCK driver Barrie Tozer says he is disgusted by the course - and has considered quitting after 30 years on the road. The 59-year-old, from Skegness, said: “Every driver I know believes we should all be trained. “But this is not about making British roads safer - this is about politics. “I have been on the road for 30 years and I still accept there are things we can all learn. “But I don’t believe you can learn much in a classroom compared to what drivers with real life experience can teach you. “I have started an online campaign with more than a thousand members to get rid of this course. “In addition I have been in contact with more than 100 people who have stopped working because of this course. “I’m a tramper driver so I spend all week away from my family and on the road all over Britain. “It’s offensive to people like us that we will be told what to do by someone who probably turns up six hours a day in a classroom. “This course is absolutely ridiculous.” CASE STUDY 2 JEAN Paul Boher, 34, from Frome, Somerset is a qualified HGV driver but has no work as he doesnt hold the Driver Certificate of Professional Competence. He is now picking up agricultural work as a farm labourer. He said: Its around £500 to do the course and it takes a week - for me its just not worth it. I lose money taking the time off to do the course and then I have to pay for it as well. Im self employed so it makes it ten times harder, as a result I am not doing anything behind a wheel any more which is ridiculous. Ive been a trucker for more than ten years and its people like us that keep the country going but I just cant afford to do the course in terms of time and money. I dont have the funds available to do the certificate, its really awkward as now I am not working as much as I should be. Ive got my licence but now Im being told I cant go out and drive a truck because I need to have this Driver Certificate of Professional Competence. The cost is what really holds you back and stops you doing your job. Its not helping the country at all, its holding us back. Basically it involves a trucker sitting in a classroom who has years of experience behind a wheel being taught how to suck eggs. It really is stopping us from doing our job. You dont know what laws they are going to bring out next. I just want to get out on the road but I cant. They are lots of other drivers in a similar situation. There is work out there and drivers out there but they cant get behind the wheel because of this directive.
Posted on: Wed, 12 Nov 2014 18:25:04 +0000