The Rail Safety and Standards Board (RSSB) has released research findings that support reducing the minimum age of train drivers from 20 to 18. The study analysed existing training, competence, and safety systems and concluded that they are suitable for younger entrants without the need for additional costs or special allowances.
Countries across Europe have already implemented this change, allowing individuals as young as 18 to operate domestic trains. The RSSB’s research demonstrated that the existing framework in the UK is equally capable of ensuring the safety and competence of younger train drivers.
Mark Phillips, CEO of RSSB, emphasised the importance of attracting more young people to the profession.
He said: “Encouraging more school leavers to take up train driving apprenticeships is what our railways need. The prospect of joining the profession is more attractive to people at 18 than at 20, where the idea might be old news as you have already chosen a different path.
“We can increase the number of people becoming train drivers as a first job and lower the average age of this vital role. Increasing the diversity and size of the candidate pool will challenge stereotypes and harness skills that are more prevalent in the next generation of career finders.
“Many young people nowadays are not seeking a degree or traditional 9-5 office job, and want a career where they can work largely unaided in a role that offers huge responsibility. Train driving is ideal for young people.
“If we want more frequent rail services in our communities, to enable economic growth, then we need to have the professional workforce to deliver it. We need to lower the age of train drivers, and we need to do it now.”
The RSSB’s research provides strong evidence that lowering the minimum age for train drivers is a viable and beneficial step towards addressing the challenges facing the rail industry and ensuring a sustainable future for the profession.
