emergency cash could be found to avoid a chronic shortage of lorry drivers leading to crisis in food supplies george osborne is examining plans to offer funding to help with training of new drivers, amid warnings of shortage of 45,000 hauliers tests which have been blamed for the problems in the industry could also be accelerated to address the shortage of qualified drivers the haulage industry warns that shortage of 45,000 drivers has been caused in part by new rules forcing hauliers to be tested on their driving skills  britain needs between 45,000 and 60,000 extra lorry drivers, according to estimates there is a long running shortage caused by drivers retiring and too few young people choosing haulage as a career and since september, all drivers must obtain the driver certificate of professional competence, completing an extra 35 hours training, costing some £500 under the new rules, drivers who do not hold the new certificate face a fine of £1,000 as many as 20,000 drivers are thought to have quit or retired as a result the road haulage association wants chancellor george osborne to offer funding to train a new generation of drivers   especially women   in next month's autumn statement new training rules mean the logistics industry is thousands of drivers short, according to the uk commission for employment and skillsthe freight transport association claims more than 20,000 drivers have quit since september it comes after a new driver certificate of professional competence was introduced across the eu, which meant drivers had to complete an extra 35 hours training, costing some £500 hauliers say the rules mean there are not enough people to drive lorries across the country, raising the prospect of 'empty shelves' concerns have also been raised about safety, including the decision to allow 18 year olds to drive hgvs ahead of the budget the industry called for £150million to increase training for thousands of drivers before the shortages hit vital supplies in his statement to mps, mr osborne stopped short of announcing the money would be found but the official budget red book reveals the government could be ready to step in to provide support for road hauliers it states: 'the government will review the speed with which heavy goods vehicle (hvg) driving tests and driver medical assessments currently take place and consider options to accelerate both in order to help address the shortage of qualified hgv drivers 'the government will also work with road haulage firms on an industry led solution to the driver shortage, including looking at the right level of access to, and funding support for, training' chancellor george osborne used his budget to announce a review of the hgv driving tests but stopped short of offering immediate financial support  fuel duty has been frozen for a fifth year in succession, allowing the chancellor to boast that motorists have had '£10 off a tank with the tories' yesterday's move means a 054p per litre duty rise planned for september 1 will not go ahead and the freezing of duty over the five years of the coalition means the average driver spends £10 less per fill up than if the controversial 'fuel price escalator' had been implemented in full between 2011 and 2016, a typical motorist will have saved £675, the treasury calculated it means a saving of £1,400 for a small business with a van, and £21,000 for a haulier road haulage association chief executive richard burnett said: 'we have put forward a strong, clear argument for why funding is necessary and appropriate our lobby for funding support will be even stronger in the coming weeks' a department for transport spokesman said: 'increasing the number of qualified lorry drivers is good for british business and good for growth the government will do all it can to find ways to support this sector and we are working to find industry led solutions to ensure sufficient drivers to meet the demand' six weeks before chrismtmas, transport secretary patrick mcloughlin urged people to 'get their shopping done' in case the driver shortage hit the supply of food and presents he defended the new eu rules, arguing that drivers need to know how to drive their lorries properly but he urged people not to leave their shopping until the last minute, in case supply lines are affected 'if you're driving a motor vehicle, with the investment you've got in that motor vehicle, it's no bad thing to know what you're doing,' he told the conservativehome website asked if there were going to problems with deliveries before christmas, he replied: 'i hope not i hope not i think we'll be all right but i'd advise everybody to get their shopping done'
budget
budget report promises review of the time it takes to get hgv licence  ministers will also review need for funding extra training courses  follows warning of a shortage of 45,000 lorry drivers hitting supply chain 