Teenagers may drive our trains in new plan as Government scrambles to fill scarcity | UK | News | EUROtoday

Teenagers will have the ability to qualify to drive trains underneath Government plans to ease a staffing scarcity. The Department for Transport (DfT) is proposing to chop the minimal age for driving a prepare on Britain’s railways from 20 to 18 as early as this summer season.

It warned the common age of a prepare driver is 48 and the workforce is “projected to shrink” as many older staff are anticipated to retire within the subsequent 5 years.

The DfT stated reducing the minimal age to 18 would “build resilience” in addition to allow college leavers to take up apprenticeships and prepare to affix the occupation.

Rail minister Huw Merriman stated: “We want to open the door for young people considering transport as a career, and this proposal could give school leavers a clear path into the sector.

“By boosting age range within the sector and attracting extra drivers, we might help help dependable providers whereas creating alternatives for extra younger folks.”

Train services have been repeatedly disrupted due to a near two-year dispute over pay involving drivers’ union Aslef and many train operators.

Transport Secretary Mark Harper has repeatedly called for an end to operators relying on drivers volunteering to work overtime and on rest days, which are usually at weekends.

Aslef’s General Secretary Mick Whelan said: “We firmly consider there needs to be sufficient drivers to cowl all of the out there shifts and don’t agree, as a union, with the reliance on relaxation day working and time beyond regulation.

“We’ve always argued that lowering the age drivers can begin their training will help the industry.

“Not solely will it enhance the variety of drivers however we additionally consider that these on the pointy finish of the prepare ought to replicate the communities they serve and that features having younger folks in cabs.”

A DfT consultation on the plan asks for views on how the processes for selecting, training, monitoring and supervising train drivers could be adapted to support the minimum age reduction.

Training to become a driver generally takes between one and two years. The Rail Delivery Group (RDG), which represents operators, says the average train driver salary across Britain is £60,055.

RDG Chief Executive Jaqueline Starr said: “Working as a prepare driver is an unbelievable profession alternative, and we wish to open the door to encourage a wider pool of younger folks to use.

“These proposed changes will help us to recruit the next generation of drivers, lowering the average age of the workforce and helping to ensure a resilient railway for our customers.”

Andy Bagnall, Chief Executive at Rail Partners, a gaggle representing personal sector rail organisations, stated: “Taking forward these proposals would meet a long-standing aspiration for the industry which would have a positive impact on getting more young people into the railway.

“With driver shortages and an ageing workforce, it’s vital to safe the talents we’d like for the long-term to assist enhance reliability for the shopper.

“By lowering minimum age requirements for train drivers, working on the railways should be seen as a more attractive career choice for school leavers, including those from diverse backgrounds.”