Heavy goods firms are struggling to recruit the amount of drivers needed to meet demands

DURING my 17 years as a full-time farmer, I depended on haulage firms to ensure my business was successful.

Moving animals, shifting feedstuff, hay, straw and cereals, taking delivery of fertiliser and handling heavy machinery always required efficient, cost-effective and experienced hauliers. Scarcely a week passed without the involvement of a lorry or two.

It is the same for many businesses. In Gloucestershire, we have an annual economy worth some £12bn and much of this is connected to manufacturing, engineering and food production. Getting parts, materials, ingredients or finished products to the right place is a critical part of the local economy. Without an adaptable and reliable logistics industry, other industries will struggle.

So with economic growth under way, some sectors, including manufacturing, are performing particularly well. Shortages in newly trained heavy goods vehicle drivers is becoming a problem. According to the Road Haulage Association, not enough new drivers are available to replace retiring drivers and the demand for additional drivers. This its both a threat to the local economy and a good opportunity for young aspiring lorry drivers.

Locally, there are several large haulage and logistic firms, including nationally renowned Downton based in Moreton Valance, Smiths, headquartered in Stonehouse (construction and waste), Cullimore Group found in Frampton on Severn (aggregates) and Ellis Transport, Cambridge. So there is a critical mass of haulage firms in the Valleys and Vale.

Moreover, the local infrastructure is being developed to ensure Gloucestershire is at the centre of a powerful and vibrant economy. My plan for the future includes action on the A417 bottleneck – a cause of many fatal accidents, a new bridge from Sharpness across the Severn and improved links to the M5. All this will mean safer and less congested roads.

A growing economy means more jobs and this is clearly the case in the haulage sector. The Festival of Manufacturing and Engineering during the week beginning Monday, 24 November, will showcase opportunities for employment throughout the sector, including logistics.