Contemporary Research on Fuel Shortage Caused by HGV Driver Shortage in UK

This report discusses the contemporary research on fuel shortage occurred in UK last year caused by lack of HGV shortage. It covers the causes, consequences, and potential remedies for the shortage and how it affected the business industry. The report also emphasizes the importance of operational management in running a business effectively.

Contemporary
Research

Table of Contents
Table of Contents.............................................................................................................................2
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................4
REFERENCE..................................................................................................................................5

INTRODUCTION
Operational management termed to area of management which is connected with designing and
controlling the production, supply, and delivery activities while running a business. To operate a
business it is important to have proper understanding and sources that are used to manage all
functions as well as activities (Broaddus, and Gertz, 2008). The current report is contemporary
research regarding fuel shortage occurred in UK last year caused by lack of HGV shortage. The
report will help to improve knowledge of researcher how this problem occurred and could be
solve to operate business.
MAIN BODY
Operational management defined as field of business that consider managing the
operations of business to ensure efficiency in running of projects. While running a business is
need to have proper resources and capital which are uses to managing all functions and activities.
in other words, operational management is addition of planning, organising, directing, and
controlling the all business activities in order to operate a business and increase productivity.
This is important for individual to identify the demand and supply of products as well as services
which can help in country development (Asyraaf, and Tarudin, 2018).
According to BBC news Heavy goods vehicle drivers shortage is becoming major issue for
UK as it hitting the crisis level and affected all businesses. All business activity is based on
import and export that need to have heavy vehicle drivers and created problem to manage all
business areas. This issues affected the UK such as many non-essential businesses return and
reopen, the demands across supply chains is increasing and the effects are rippling through many
businesses across the UK (Kuran, Newnam and Beanland, 2022). The Road Haulage Association
(RHA) has published that the UK is short 100,000 HGV drivers. This is up from the RHA's
previous estimate of 60,000 people before COVID. Another group, Logistics UK, has released a
statement claiming that the gap in numbers is 90,000 compared to 76,000 before COVID and the
EU Exit. The economy of UK depends on demand and supply of good and services which are
provided to customers and make feel them satisfied, helps to country development. It has been
seen that there is lack of number of HGV drivers in UK and cost is increasing day by day where
it became difficult for business person to sale their products out of their country. Reports from
BBC news stated that UK has been most affected by this shortage, but that is also becoming an
issue in other European countries (AlKheder, Naif, Musaed, Al Shrekah, Al Rshaid, and Anzi,
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2022). The major issue of heavy goods vehicle Brexit in which UK and European countries have
0withdrawn their business activities which were situated in opposite country and .number of
customers has been reduced that direct impacted on demand and supply of products and services.
Brexit is the major issue for business concern as government of UK and European country
formulated new regulations where products and services are supplied into their country only.
This issue has reduced the number of customers and productivity of business. The another issue
is food and consumer products shortages that means number of consumer products are reducing
continuously in UK where people are not getting enough products and supply that directly
affected their business and related activities. This is important for each organisation to identify
the needs and wants of their customers and provide products accordingly which can help to
provide satisfaction and maintain higher productivity. The environment is changing day by day
where needs of customers also getting to change so that it became necessary to offer kind of
products and service which can help to provide higher satisfaction and maintain higher
performance. More recently, towards the end of 2021, the UK experienced a petrol shortage
issue, with petrol stations around the country running out of fuel. This scarcity was caused in part
by a shortage of HGV drivers, as the number of surviving workers could not keep up with the
demand for gasoline. The UK government granted 300 short-term visas for abroad visas to deal
with the situation, but only 127 drivers applied. Covid -19 is also considered as major issue of
shortage of HGV as government announced the lockdown where no one is allowed to continue
their buying and selling activities that affected the HGV drivers created problems in running the
business. It has been seen that HGV drivers who belongs to other country or place returned to
their homes and left their jobs. The remaining drivers demanding higher wages that impacted on
business and country. Due to pandemic, government of UK has increased the prices of fuel
where cost of transportation also increased, created the problem of hiring HGV at lower cost.
The business person should understand the demand of drivers and fill their demand by increasing
their wages that can help to give good satisfaction and supports to country development. To
overcome the issues there are different ways which can be used by UK in developing the
country. To increase the HGV driver salary by £5000 annually can help to hire the drivers more
and supports to provide products and services to their customers continuously. Temporary
relaxation should be given to employees and drivers and decide working hours and manage the
supply of services that can help to grow a business continuously (Oakey, Grote, Royall, and
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Cherrett, 2022). While looking to hire HGV drivers there is need to look at current recruitment
campaign where it could get or use source and top talented drivers and fill customer demand. to
identify the needs of HGV drivers and provide them kind of services which can help in country
development and maintain higher performance . This is important for each organization to focus
on Heavy goods vehicles and make available all resources which are important to offer or supply
the products and services to their customers. To follow government regulations which are
formulated in pandemic and other period that can help to operate a business in UK and would
support the economy.
The shortage of HGV caused by misallocation of resources, caused by pandemic where new
trading arrangement needs to formulate and it will take longer time to work in UK than other
countries. The government also announced relax plans “Cobotage” which allow international
HGV drivers great freedom to pick up and deliver goods across the UK. Thus, it is suggested to
country and business concern to focus on changes and put their efforts to resolve HGV issues
that can help to operate the business regularly by solving operational and management issues.
Management is the greater term which is used by individual to run and arrange their own
business by formulating plans, organise, directing, and controlling the activities. This became
necessary for business industry to identify the current market and trend then offer kind of
products and services which can help to develop a country and business effectively. While
operating a business there is need to focus on business ethics that can help to create positive
aspects for organization and country to grow and attain competitive advantages. For example,
Tesco is larger size UK retailer that offers different types of products and services to their
customers at retail prices. It is operating its business at larger level where it comes to new trend
and needs of people then use different ways to reach their customers. This can help to build
customer trust and helps to increase the operational functions of business industry. There are
many practices which are formulated by government for the welfare of employees and customers
that can help to develop a business and country. The minimum wages practice is important
practice which should be apply by companies and provide at least fixed wages which is decided
by government that can help to motivate the employees and supports to continue the business.
Ethics are needed to start and continue the business as is shows the way how to run and manage
all functions systematically that can help maintain higher performance. The another practice is
health and safety act 1974 which is executed for providing good health to their employees who
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are working in organization and make feel them part of industry. This practice helps to bring new
changes and motivation for their staff which can help to grow a business and accomplish the
business goals (Morgan, Muirhead, Ainge, and Abbott, 2010). The management of Tesco follow
the ethical approach while running and supplying the products to their customers that can help to
attain the business goals and improve performance. The another practice is motivation to
employees where different types of benefits should be provided by employees to their staff and
customers that can help to build trust and increase the number of customers as well employees.
This can help to develop a business in changing environment and accomplish the business goals.
CONCLUSION
From the report it can be concluded that management relates to planning, organising,
directing, and controlling the business functions which are used to develop and grow a
business. This is important for each organization to know what their customers wants and
how they could be satisfied so that kind of products and services are provided which can
help to grow a business effectively. Operational activities termed to day by day activities
which are used by business concern for the purpose of running and maintaining higher
performance. For balance demand and supply there is need to have proper resources and
capital which can be used to complete the functions and accomplish business goals. The
main reason of heavy good vehicle are occurrence of Pandemic, increasing cost of fuel,
government regulations, and Brexit that directly affected the business and created problems
in running their business. To solve issue there is need to have proper planning and practices
which could be apply to manage all issue and motivate HGV drivers to serve their services
of transport in other country that an help to increase the production level and supports to
grow a business effectively.
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REFERENCE
Books and journal
Asyraaf, M.A. and Tarudin, N.F., 2018. Assessing Heavy Goods Vehicles (HGVs) from
Operational Strategy Perspective in Reducing Global Warming. Advances in
Transportation and Logistics Research, 1, pp.441-452.
Kuran, C.H.A., Newnam, S. and Beanland, V., 2022. Adaptive non-conform behaviour in
accident investigations in the road based heavy goods transport sector. Safety science,
146, p.105539.
AlKheder, S., Naif, D., Musaed, D., Al Shrekah, S., Al Rshaid, M. and Anzi, N.A., 2022.
Maritime Transport Management in Kuwait Toward an Automated Port Logistical City.
Cleaner Logistics and Supply Chain, p.100031.
Oakey, A., Grote, M., Royall, P.G. and Cherrett, T., 2022. Enabling Safe and Sustainable
Medical Deliveries by Connected Autonomous Freight Vehicles Operating within
Dangerous Goods Regulations. Sustainability, 14(2), p.930.
Morgan, P.A., Muirhead, M., Ainge, M.J. and Abbott, P.G., 2010. A futurequiet HGV'permissive
certification scheme-phase 1 report. TRL Published Project Report.
Broaddus, A. and Gertz, C., 2008. Tolling heavy goods vehicles: Overview of European practice
and lessons from German experience. Transportation Research Record, 2066(1), pp.106-
113.
Online
HGV driver shortage: causes, consequences and potential remedies. 2021. Available through:
https://www.igd.com/home/article-viewer/t/hgv-driver-shortage-causes-consequences-and-
potential-remedies/i/28494
Broaddus, A. and Gertz, C., 2008 Asyraaf, M.A. and Tarudin, N.F., 2018 Kuran, C.H.A.,
Newnam, S. and Beanland, V., 2022 AlKheder, S., Naif, D., Musaed, D., Al Shrekah, S., Al
Rshaid, M. and Anzi, N.A., 2022. Oakey, A., Grote, M., Royall, P.G. and Cherrett, T., 2022
Morgan, P.A., Muirhead, M., Ainge, M.J. and Abbott, P.G., 2010.
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