During National Apprenticeship Week [5-11 February], UK Transport Minister Guy Opperman MP celebrated the first successful year of the Generation Logistics campaign, highlighting its role in changing the image of the logistics sector and promoting it as a key driver of economic growth.

Minister Opperman praised the joint efforts of the government and businesses in making logistics careers more attractive and emphasised the importance of attracting new talent to maintain a strong supply chain for the economy's health.

The campaign's achievements were showcased at a parliamentary event attended by representatives from over 50 companies and trade associations, along with young Generation Logistics ambassadors. These ambassadors are crucial in engaging with future employees and highlighting the sector's varied opportunities.

A new careers guide for teachers and advisers was introduced at the event, aiming to increase awareness of logistics professions. Bethany Windsor, the campaign's program director, noted an 11% rise in awareness and a 140% increase in positive sector perceptions in the first year. The initiative, supported by sponsors and ambassadors, plans to further reach out to educators and integrate logistics into school curriculums, positioning logistics as a top career choice for young people.

In a bold heist on the M6 in Staffordshire, thieves made off with technology goods valued at £269,000 from a lorry parked at Keele Services, all while the driver was asleep. The incident, involving the theft of 24 pallets loaded with cameras and other valuable tech items, occurred between midnight on January 23 and 3 a.m. the following day.

In a calculated move, the thieves also commandeered a white Volkswagen panel van from a flat-bed truck within the same parking area, utilizing it to ferry away the stolen loot. Staffordshire Police later reported the recovery of the stolen van.

The local law enforcement has since launched an appeal to the public, urging anyone who might have witnessed the theft or possesses any relevant CCTV or dashcam footage from around the area to come forward. The police are particularly keen on piecing together the events that transpired during those critical hours to trace the perpetrators.

A spokesperson for the Staffordshire Police highlighted the significance of the stolen goods and the audacity of the crime, given it was executed while the truck driver was asleep. The police have conducted initial investigations at the scene, including reviewing CCTV footage.

Two leading road haulage firms, Youngs Transportation & Logistics and North West Cargo, have faced insolvency, resulting in significant job cuts. The industry is grappling with economic downturns and global disruptions, as outlined by Leonard Curtis’ director Alex Cadwallader. Leonard Curtis took control of both companies on January 31st, after they struggled with cash flow problems amidst a challenging global and domestic economic landscape.

Youngs and North West Cargo, with a history spanning over 50 years and a workforce of 250 across five locations, had a combined annual revenue exceeding £40 million. Despite managing to sell a Northwest site to save some jobs and executing additional sales to keep operations afloat, the companies have had to make considerable redundancies due to the closure of other sites.

The logistics sector's woes are attributed to the tough economic conditions and shipping challenges, forcing Youngs and North West Cargo into administration. Efforts to sell the companies as a whole were unsuccessful, though parts of the business were saved through smaller transactions. The administrators are now aiding the affected employees.

This situation reflects a broader distress within the transport industry, with several other logistics companies also entering administration recently. The outlook remains bleak, with expectations of continued difficulties in the UK logistics market through the first half of 2024.

The UK hit a notable milestone with the registration of its millionth electric vehicle (EV) last month, despite a notable decrease in sales, indicating a mixed picture for the nation's net zero ambitions. Sales to individual consumers dropped by 25% in January 2024, part of a wider 16% fall in all new car sales to private customers, as reported by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT).

Calls have intensified for government incentives, such as halving VAT on EVs, to drive consumer adoption. Over 20,000 battery electric vehicles were registered in January 2024, a 20% year-on-year increase, predominantly driven by fleet purchases, which saw a demand surge of over 40%. EVs comprised 14.7% of all new car sales in the UK for January, underscoring a growing but still insufficient market penetration to meet environmental targets.

The SMMT emphasises the need for supportive policies to expedite EV adoption, including electric heavy goods vehicles (HGVs), which are vital for reducing transport emissions. The higher upfront cost of EVs, including HGVs, remains a barrier, despite their lower running costs. Last year, the government's decision to delay the ban on new petrol and diesel car sales to 2035 drew mixed reactions, highlighting the challenges and opportunities in the transition to electric mobility.

Despite a decrease in private car registrations, overall new car market growth in January was buoyed by a significant increase in fleet sales, which now represent over 60% of all new car registrations. This reflects a shift towards more sustainable vehicle options in the UK's journey towards net zero emissions.