Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the potential effect on safety of proposed changes to EU requirements on qualification for the driving of heavy goods vehicles; and what representations he has received on this issue.

Driver training and testing matters are set in European legislation, which establishes minimum competence criteria and requires periodic training. We have implemented those requirements in the UK to promote road safety; establishing robust tests and appropriate medical standards for professional lorry and bus drivers.

In October 2013, the European Commission launched a review of Directive 2003/59/EC, which introduced the Driver Certificate of Professional Competence (DCPC) for lorry and bus drivers. The Department responded to that review taking account of over 1,300 representations received from within the freight and passenger transport industries. Our response was published in November 2013, alongside a report summarising the industries’ views – those papers are available at:

https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/effectiveness-of-driver-cpc-call-for-evidence

The Commission has not yet published its response to that review. We have, though, already taken steps to address concerns about the safety of large vehicles, particularly in respect of their interaction with other road users. The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency is requiring that DCPC periodic training makes specific reference to considering other road users, especially those that are vulnerable.