Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of removing the 50km restriction for 18- to 20-year-old bus and coach drivers on the (a) number of available drivers and (b) quality of (i) rural and (ii) long-distance bus services.

The previous government launched a consultation on amending licensing restrictions to allow 18 to 20-year-olds to drive a bus and coach for distances exceeding 50km when driving a regular service. The previous government did not publish a response to its consultation before it left office.

This government is now working closely with operators to obtain further evidence and will then consider next steps.