A significant backlog of cars urgently need to be delivered across the UK. A large number of auction sites, dealerships and storage sites are severely behind with their deliveries as appointment systems have created significant delays for transportation companies. With reduced staff and social distancing measures in place a number of sites have struggled to keep up with the volume of requests for collection slots, with many calls unanswered and with slots only being available many days in the future and at times which don't fit with transport company schedules.
A number of delivery companies are now actively avoiding a number of sites where they have been kept waiting for many hours at a time. Calls are being made for sites to speed up their activities and to improve their communications.
Large numbers of delivery drivers aren't returning to work. Many of the industry's car delivery drivers have opted not to return to work for fear of contracting the Coronavirus. Many trade plate 'driven' delivery car drivers (or 'Platers' as they are known in the trade) have hung up their high-vis in order to avoid car sharing and using public transport on the journeys to and from their delivery jobs. A significant shift to transported deliveries has occurred as this offers a better opportunity for social distancing and allows for drivers to be self sufficient in their movements to and from their various delivery jobs.