HGVs: Driver hopes more women get behind the wheel

One woman hoping to do something about the male-dominated lorry driving industry is among those facing a lengthy wait for a test.

Emily George, 24, from Pontardawe in Neath Port Talbot, said: "It's almost putting the stamp out for other youngsters, such as myself, to be able to progress and know that they can manage to do it."

But despite finishing a course at a driving school, she faces a 15-week wait to sit her HGV test.

Her instructor Paul Morgan has said his company has taken on more staff and increased his fleet to keep up with demand, but there is a shortage of examiners.

"They've put extra pressure on us now to test people, and now they can't examine them," he said.

The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) has said it was "committed" to tackling the HGV driver shortage by offering more tests and recruiting more examiners.

27 January 2022