National Lorry Week hailed as huge success

By Categories: NewsPublished On: Wednesday 4 November 2015

lovethelorryThe first ever National Lorry Week has been a huge success, according to its organiser the Road Haulage Association (RHA) – which has confirmed it plans an even bigger event next year.

The week of 26-31 October saw RHA members across the country open their doors to the general public, including schoolchildren and potential future employees.

Workplace transport regulatory body RTITB, for example, took one of its training academy lorries to Dormston School school in Sedgley near Dudley – where students were given the opportunity to learn about careers opportunities and the safety aspects of truck-driving.

Widespread media coverage of the week was also received, with items on over thirty radio stations – including a special feature on BBC Radio 2’s breakfast show with Chris Evans – and in national, regional and local newspapers.

RHA chief executive Richard Burnett said: “We launched National Lorry Week with the #LoveTheLorry strap line to do two things.  First, to raise the profile of our magnificent industry in the eyes of the public and the popular media and second, to hammer home to government the very real challenges that we face, with particular emphasis on the critical driver shortage.”

He added: “The enthusiasm of our members and industry stakeholders from the start was overwhelming and the variety and scale of events was amazing.  Members parked their HGVs in busy town centres, took them to schools and turned up at sporting events.

“The M6 also held a week-long event which was another great success. The RHA’s team in Scotland quite literally played an absolute blinder with Falkirk FC who ran a Love the Lorry day last Thursday and repeated the event on match day. This gave thousands of supporters a great opportunity to get up close and personal with trucks and hear about our industry first hand.”

He concluded: “It was a great week. The RHA teams around the UK worked tirelessly with members to make sure that Love the Lorry Week really was a week to remember and clearly met our twin aims of raising the profile of our industry and getting our message across to politicians.”