As wages soar, truckers in UK predict Xmas chaos

Truck drivers have a warning for British Prime Minister Boris Johnson.

Prices for everything from food to Christmas gifts will rise.

An air of chaos has gripped the world's fifth largest economy in recent days.

A lack of truckers has left fuel pumps dry.

And a spike in European wholesale natural gas prices tipped energy companies into bankruptcy.

The UK is short of around 100,000 truck drivers.

Tens of thousands returned to the European Union after Brexit.

Miguel Brunel is a truck driver from France:

“This problem – this is what they wanted and it comes back to this - all the foreign drivers they had, and even the English ones they had who left – now they can’t employ them anymore, and all these problems – it really is their fault. If they had managed to keep more British drivers on their books, they wouldn’t be in such a state."

The shortage was made worse when 40,000 truck driver tests were cancelled during the health crisis.

At one British service station, scores drivers told Reuters that wages would have to rise.

“This job is hard. Well-paid? Well, what can I say? Not really, since I work 13-14 hours a day. Like it or not, but 13-14 hours a day should be paid better."

Some investors are now questioning whether the world is on the cusp of persistent price rises.

After the splurge by governments and major central banks to deal with the global health crisis.

Haulier companies and recruitment agencies are battling to fill trucker jobs.

One was advertising for heavy goods vehicle driver for 75,000 pounds or $102,000 per year.

The government has plans to issue temporary visas for 5,000 foreign truck drivers.

But none of the truck drivers interviewed by Reuters thought many would take up the offer.