Members of the Freight Transport Association’s policy team have been out on the road with Waitrose to increase their understanding of everyday issues facing the freight industry.
Director of UK policy Elizabeth De Jong, head of policy for London Natalie Chapman and policy and public affairs manager Heidi Skinner travelled on board rigid and articulated trucks from the Waitrose regional distribution centre at Aylesford, Kent into shops in Paddock Wood, West Hampstead and Bloomsbury.
Chapman said: “As head of policy for London I hear about the challenges of congestion and access from members on a daily basis.
"But nothing beats going on a run into the capital, for getting a practical sense of the skill and dedication drivers need to deliver goods in one of the world’s busiest cities.
"It only serves to remind me why the work of FTA is so important.”
The FTA team were also given a tour of the 600,000 sq ft Waitrose distribution centre at Aylesford by Waitrose transport operations manager Kevin Savery and legal operations manager Jerry Ward.
Regional distribution centres act as a centralised collection point for stock, receiving deliveries from Waitrose suppliers across the country, picking the specific orders for each of their allocated branches and then redistributing them to those branches via the Waitrose distribution fleet.
Skinner added: “I represent the interests of FTA members to politicians and spend a lot of time in the centre of London, but seeing it from the cab of a lorry brings a whole new point of view.
"I was really impressed with the professionalism and dedication of the Waitrose staff who work incredibly hard to ensure residents and commuters based in London have access to fresh food on a daily basis, whatever the condition on the roads.”
Winston - 04/01/2018 09:30
Has Chris Grayling, or one of his junior ministers, been out on a truck to see what it's like in the real world yet?