Truckers are striking over the introduction of a new licensing system.
The truckers strike is an ongoing protest against the new Truck Licensing System (TLS), which was introduced in April 2021. The TLS is a national database that tracks all trucks and lorries on British roads, and was introduced by Transport Secretary Chris Grayling to combat the high number of road accidents involving heavy goods vehicles. However, the truckers argue that it’s just another tax on their industry and are refusing to pay for it.
Why are they striking?
The main reason for the truckers strike is over their objection to paying for a license plate every year. This is one of the main ways in which the TLS will generate revenue, with fees starting at £300 ($450) per year for small trucks and rising to £600 ($900) per year for large lorries. The money raised from these fees will be used to cover costs associated with running the system.
Another major complaint of truck drivers is that they have no say in how their data is stored or used. A spokesman for Road Haulage Association said “We don’t want our details on a database which can be hacked into by criminals or sold off by civil servants”
