Transport secretary extends cabotage rights in response to driver shortage

The transport secretary Grant Shapps has confirmed the government will temporarily extend cabotage rights in the UK in response to continuing lorry driver and supply shortages.

Cabotage rights allow companies from one country to trade in another country.

Foreign hauliers will now be able to make unlimited journeys for the next fortnight.

Shapps said:

“The long-term answer to the supply chain issues we’re currently experiencing must be developing a high-skill, high-wage economy here in the UK.”

“Alongside a raft of other measures to help the road haulage industry, we’ve streamlined the testing process and announced thousands of skills bootcamps to train new drivers. These measures are working – we’ve been seeing up to 3 times more applications for HGV driving licences than normal as well as a deserved rise in salaries.”