FROM THE OFFICE OF
WWW.EXPORTANDFREIGHT.COM
Seamus Leheny Policy Manager - Northern Ireland. Logistics UK
2022: THE KEY FOCUSES 2021 was a vital year for Logistics with the ongoing skills shortage, decarbonisation and NI Protocol and Brexit challenges throughout. Logistics UK remained proactive in all of these areas, working with members and government to achieve the best solutions for all. And, as we begin 2022, I will reflect on these challenges that will continue to be a focus for Logistics UK. The ongoing skills shortage was a key focus throughout 2021 as it reached a critical level for various roles, such as HGV drivers. Factors such as COVID-19 and Brexit exacerbated the existing shortage, leading to the crisis that dominated media headlines throughout the year. However, the industry is adaptable, and Logistics UK worked with government to negotiate several short-term measures, such as working with the DVA on HGV driver testing and MOT’s to reduce the backlog caused by COVID-19. Throughout 2022, it will be vital to look at the long-term measures, including improving welfare facilities and the number of available HGV parking spaces, as these are currently a barrier to recruitment. Attracting new talent to industry is essential and at the same time we must continue to highlight and tackle the barriers to new workers into our industry such as high insurance costs, training costs and a historically negative image of the industry, as well as highlight the wide variety of industry roles to those new recruits who have never previously considered logistics as a career. Additionally, Logistics UK has been engaging with The Department for Economy here in Northern Ireland on an all-age apprenticeship that would be open to candidates regardless of age and be fully funded. This new scheme was due to be signed off by the Economy Minister by September of this year, but despite industry concerns at the delay, the department has yet to finalise the new apprenticeship scheme. Throughout this next year, Logistics UK will continue to focus on the skills shortage across the entire logistics industry, including warehouse staff and vehicle technicians as well as HGV drivers.
Decarbonisation Decarbonisation is another key challenge that
will continue to remain a focus for 2022. Industry has been looking to decarbonise for a number of years, and its efforts and progress are constantly increasing to meet key targets set by government, such as net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. In July 2021, government released the Transport Decarbonisation Plan (TDP), which outlined its strategy to decarbonise all modes of domestic transport by that 2050 target. The TDP helps to provide logistics businesses with confidence and clarity on the steps they must take on the pathway to net zero and includes an intention to consult on a worldleading pledge to end the sale of all new, polluting road vehicles by 2040 and achieve net zero aviation and rail emissions by 2050. While these are ambitious deadlines, operators across industry are committed to achieving these, and Logistics UK will continue to work with members to ensure a smooth transition to net zero.
Net Zero Alongside this, Logistics UK has been taking action by implementing its Route to Net Zero campaign, aimed at encouraging members to commit to decarbonising their operations as effectively and urgently as possible. And, to help government and policymakers understand how they can help the logistics industry achieve government’s 2050 carbon neutral deadline, Logistics UK published its Route to Net Zero Manifesto for Logistics on 10 November 2021, COP 26’s Transport Day, detailing 11 key priorities for industry’s successful decarbonisation and to showcase what measures the sector is taking to meet the Net Zero challenge.
NI Protocol Much of 2021 was dominated by the outworking’s of Brexit here in Northern Ireland, namely the implementation of the NI Protocol on January 1st. With ongoing deadlines, extensions and negotiations, it was the logistics sector that was left to deal with the implications ensuring the economy kept moving. Indeed, it’s a credit to our industry that – despite some people saying that our sector would drop the ball and let supply chains crash – our industry rolled up its sleeves and got on with the job in hand. Since the NI protocol came into effect, and the subsequent negotiations and discussion on how it should be applied, our long-term economic stability feels like it has been set in suspended animation as we await the fate either agreed by the UK and EU, or subsequent unilateral action that leaves more questions than answers. At the time of writing this, Lord Frost has resigned as Brexit Secretary and 2022 promises to have more negotiations until we finally start to see what we are left to deal with in terms of managing supply chains here in NI. Logistics UK will continue to be at the table with senior UK and EU officials and politicians in the months ahead, ensuring our sector is represented. To give industry the certainty, stability and clarity our economy needs, it is vital a negotiated outcome that suits all sides as best as possible is achieved.
EXPORT&FREIGHT
43
