CEREDIGION MP Ben Lake has urged the UK Government to give ‘full consideration’ to suggestions put forward by his constituents to resolve the ongoing crisis in the HGV industry.

Mr Lake’s latest intervention comes following his contribution during PMQs last week when he called on Westminster to improve the working conditions of HGV drivers.

Raising the issue again with Minister Grant Shapps this week, Mr Lake said: “Many constituents who work in the HGV industry have come forward to share their experiences with me about the HGV driver crisis.

“As well as expressing grave concern, they have also shared ideas and long-term solutions that would greatly improve the current situation.

“It’s important that the UK Government listens and gives full consideration to these suggestions and I look forward to meeting with the Minister in the near future to discuss them further.”

Last week Mr Lake told Prime Minister Boris Johnson that a ‘long-term solution’ to the shortage of drivers required improved working conditions and measures to reduce waiting times at distribution centres.

Mr Lake referenced the Department for Transport’s ‘National survey of lorry parking’ from 2018, which identified an immediate need for more than 1,411 parking spaces across England to enable drivers to take their legally mandated rest breaks without concerns for security and safety.

“With widespread concern about the HGV driver crisis, I have been contacted by a number of drivers from Ceredigion who believe the government’s decision to increase drivers’ hours will fail to solve the problem,” said Mr Lake.

Responding, Mr Johnson said that HGV driving was a ‘great and well-remunerated profession’ and that the Government was ‘ramping up vocational test capacity and funding apprenticeships’.

However, these comments were subsequently refuted by Luke Vernon, a former HGV driver from Lampeter, who suggested Mr Johnson was ‘disconnected from the real world’.