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Written question asked by Ashley Fox (Conservative) on Tuesday, 30 June 2026, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Thursday, 2 July 2026. It was answered by Simon Lightwood (Labour) on Monday, 6 July 2026 on behalf of the Department for Transport.

Driving: Qualifications

Question

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment her Department has made of the potential merits of simplifying or consolidating the statutory qualification and certification requirements for professional bus, coach and heavy goods vehicle drivers.

Answer

A review in 2021/22 concluded that the Driver Certificate of Professional Competence (CPC) should be retained but reformed. A package of reforms was introduced in December 2024 to provide greater flexibility for drivers and operators.

The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency has no plans to consolidate the qualification processes for these types of vehicles. The skills and knowledge necessary to safely drive each vehicle category are sufficiently different to require separate assessments. Drivers, however, who hold licence entitlements for both lorries and buses only need to complete one set of 35 hours periodic training every five years to maintain their Driver CPC qualification.

Secondary information

Type
Written question
Reference
14571
Session
2026-27
Subjects
Buses Driving Large goods vehicle drivers Qualifications
Link
View this Written question on www.parliament.uk