A lack of lorry drivers threatens Christmas 2015 online deliveries
Christmas is under threat from a lack of lorry drivers.
Shops could be left with empty shelves while online deliveries face delays due to a shortage of tens of thousands of lorry drivers, it has been warned.
"We are short of between 45,000 and 50,000 drivers and the situation is getting worse," chief executive of the Road Haulage Association (RHA) Richard Burnett said, and it threatened the UK's economic growth.
"Our industry is the life blood of our economy. The government can and must do more to help with this driver shortage crisis. Its failure to do so is now posing a real threat to the UK's economic recovery."
The industry faces a perfect storm of older drivers leaving the industry and the high costs of £3,000 for young people wanting to get a truck licence is out of reach.
The group has called for George Osborne to invest £150m in driver training.