Skills investment was the focus for RHA, the trade body for the coach and haulage sectors, as it attended the Labour Party conference in Blackpool last month to engage with government MPs.
RHA used what it called its “heavy presence” to impress on politicians the need to bring in a new generation of technicians and drivers.
Having long lobbied for reform of the Apprenticeships Levy, RHA has welcomed the new Growth and Skills Levy announced last month.
The body used a roundtable discussion in Blackpool with MPs as part of its goal to influence the shape of the newly formed Skills England.
Declan Pang, RHA Director of Policy and Public Affairs, says: “We’re glad that they’re pursuing [the Growth and Skills Levy], but we wanted to try and focus the minds of those Labour MPs that that is potentially a very important policy for our industry because it means more flexible, modular courses.
“For example, for driver training at the moment — there aren’t viable options for driver apprenticeships. There are some but they’re 12 months and they have a very low take-up.”
Alluding to concerns RHA has over the aging driver workforce, he adds: “Logistics doesn’t feature in the national curriculum. Certainly, we’d say that opportunities such as coach driving, the coach sector, coach tourism all need to be made available in the same way that academic routes might be.”
Meanwhile, RHA is optimistic for a better understanding of coach from the new government. Mr Pang says: “MPs need to think differently about coach rather than lump it with bus. I am hopeful for that, mainly because we have had reasonably good engagement with the new ministers.
“[Simon Lightwood] (Local Transport Minister) has been forthcoming in terms of listening to what we have to say. It’s about thinking more differently and more strategically about what the coach sector needs and I think we’re seeing an open-mindedness on that.”
