LONDON, Sept 28 (Reuters) - Christmas 2021 will be
disappointing for millions of British households unless the
government extends a new visa scheme to allow foreign truck
drivers into the country, the retail industry's lobby group said
on Tuesday.
“Christmas is about more than just food, so to avoid
disappointment for millions of households during the festive
season we urge the government to rapidly extend this programme,
both in size and scope, to HGV drivers in all sectors of the
retail industry," said Andrew Opie, director of food &
sustainability at the British Retail Consortium.
He warned it would take many months before there are enough
new British drivers to cover the shortfall.
(Reporting by James Davey and Guy Faulconbridge, Editing by
Alistair Smout)