RECRUITMENT company Manpower is launching a dedicated driving centre in the region in a bid to capture a bigger market share of the rapidly growing transport and distribution market.

The company is creating 70 jobs across the country and will co-ordinate the development from a site on the Sunderland Enterprise Park for its new driving division.

The firm is investing £9m in its specialist division, and manager of Sunderland Driving Power Kate Spraggon said: "We have opened a hub in Sunderland because there is a shortage of qualified LGV drivers in the region.

"Driving Power intends to up-skill potential drivers to fill this gap. Our recruitment consultants will go out to the drivers by interviewing them in their local areas and also at truck stops and service stations."

The new operation will be centred at Sunderland and based around 21 regional hubs. Its recruitment centres will go mobile to find the drivers utilising the skills of its recruitment team.

To ensure Driving Power's plans for mobile recruitment are successful, all the consultants employed will know the transport industry.

The staff employed will have the skills to match local drivers with well paid work that reflects their ability and competence.

Denis Coult, Driving Power's nationwide manager said: "Transport and distribution is forecast to grow by more than one-third by 2005. The explosion in Internet shopping and home delivery is also going to boost that demand.

"Today transport companies are 24-hour, seven-day-a-week businesses, so too now is Driving Power."