The John Lewis Partnership will open an LGV Driver Academy next month to train drivers in 13 weeks to sit the DVSA LGV theory and practical safety tests.

The move will help to reduce the industry shortage of LGV drivers.

The partnership's Driver Academy we will train up to 90 people per year at four training facilities in Aylesford, Bracknell, London and Milton Keynes.

This new fast track training is designed for people who may already be drivers of smaller delivery vehicles.

John Lewis, which has a store in Cheltenham and a number of Waitrose branches in the county, will also increase the number of 12 month LGV driver apprenticeships it offers to people who are starting out in their driving career.

It will also offer more apprenticeships for people who want to train to become Waitrose and John Lewis delivery drivers.

Mark Robinson, partner and director of supply chain at John Lewis, said: "In August, we increased pay and introduced a £1,000 welcome payment for qualified LGV drivers who join us before November. This investment in training is a longer-term solution to the industry shortage.

"Due to the size of our business and range of services, we can offer drivers not just a job, but unrivalled career opportunities.

"We will pay our drivers to do further training to change roles from delivering groceries to Waitrose customers, to driving a 3.5 tonne truck to deliver goods to our shops, or learn how to deliver and install washing machines, TVs and lighting, providing excellent customer service for our John Lewis customers."

The training places will initially be available to people who currently work for the John Lewis Partnership, but in January 2022 spaces will be opened up to applicants outside the Partnership and advertised on www.jlpjobs.com.

The John Lewis Partnership currently employs over 900 LGV drivers and uses 42 distribution sites across the UK.