Draft Train Driving Licences and Certificates (Amendment) Regulations 2026

Edward Morello Excerpts

Monday 20th April 2026 General Committees

[Edward Morello (West Dorset) (LD)]

It is a pleasure to serve with you in the Chair, Mrs Harris. I see a lot of familiar faces from the Railways Bill Committee— I worry that I have become a member of a group I never aspired to join.

I am here to speak on behalf of the Liberal Democrats; we support this statutory instrument, which lowers the minimum age to obtain a mainline driving licence in Great Britain from 20 to 18, while maintaining the age of 20 for drivers operating in the channel tunnel zone, in line with international agreements. This SI removes an arbitrary barrier that has prevented the rail industry from recruiting directly from school leavers, at a time when the workforce is ageing, we are facing significant shortages and young people are struggling to find employment opportunities.

The regulations do not alter existing safety requirements, or mandatory medical, psychological and competency assessments, which remain in place. A 2024 Rail Safety and Standards Board report concluded that there is no evidence that 18 or 19-year-olds pose a higher safety risk than older drivers. Safety is driven by robust training and supervision standards, rather than age alone. Overall, despite some industry concerns, this is a proportionate and evidence-based reform that supports the long-term resilience of the rail network. As Liberal Democrats, we are always happy to see the UK aligning with our European neighbours on this issue.