Simon Lightwood
MP for Wakefield and Rothwell · Labour (Co-op) · United Kingdom
“The Bus Services Act empowers local leaders to choose the model that works best in their area. Our reforms are focused on giving local authorities the tools they need to deliver better bus services. The Act also has a measure on socially necessary local services.”
“My hon. Friend is right that transport has a vital role to play in unlocking opportunities for young people, as I know from growing up in a coastal community. Through the Bus Services Act 2025, we are giving local leaders greater power to shape bus services around their local needs, including in coastal and rural communities.”
“I will of course join my hon. Friend in commending the Mayor of London for the work that he is doing to keep the people who power our transport system safe. A well-functioning transport system is integral to growth.”
“The Government are providing local authorities with a record £7.3 billion investment in local road maintenance, giving councils the long-term certainty that they need to fix potholes, repair road defects and adopt a more preventive approach to maintenance. Some of the funding is being used to incentivise best practice and innovation.”
“The hon. Lady and I met in October to discuss the tolls on the Mersey Gateway. As she is aware, these charges are the responsibility of Halton borough council.”
“I share my hon. Friend’s commitment to UK bus manufacturing. I am delighted that through the UK bus manufacturing expert panel, mayoral combined authorities have agreed to a commitment that 10% of social value criteria will apply in all future bus procurement exercises.”
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“The 2010 regulations implemented the EU train driving directive, which sets a default minimum licensing age of 20 across the EU, and gives member states the option to adopt a lower age of 18 for domestic services. The UK did not take that option when it transposed the directive in 2009, but other countries, including Germany and the Netherlands, have since done so successfully. In February 2024 the Rail Safety and Standards Board, or RSSB, published research on lowering the minimum age to be a train driver in Britain. It found that 18 and 19-year-olds can drive trains safely when held to the same standards as older recruits. Crucially, the research found that training, practice and exposure to train driving, not age, are the determining factors in whether a train driver will perform the responsibilities of the role effectively.”
“The conditions include the completion of at least nine years of primary and secondary education, or vocational training equivalent to level 3 qualifications, and proof of passing medical, psychological, fitness and general professional competence examinations. I will begin by providing some background on the legislative regime and why the changes are being brought forward. The rail network depends on approximately 19,000 train drivers to operate passenger and freight services. The 2010 regulations require train drivers to hold a licence confirming that they are fit and competent, and an employer-issued certificate authorising them to drive specific trains on specific routes.”
“I beg to move, That the Committee has considered the draft Train Driving Licences and Certificates (Amendment) Regulations 2026. It is a pleasure to see you in the Chair, Mrs Harris. These draft regulations are being made under the Retained EU Law (Revocation and Reform) Act 2023 to lower the minimum age at which the Office of Rail and Road, or ORR, can issue a licence to drive trains on the British mainline railway from 20 to 18 years. The conditions for driving trains under the Train Driving Licences and Certificates Regulations 2010, which I shall hereafter refer to as the 2010 regulations, will remain the same.”
“The study will be led by the industry through the Train Drivers Academy, and the Department has been assured that the results will be published annually, ensuring transparency and continued scrutiny. In summary, these regulations lower the minimum age at which an individual may be issued a train driving licence from 20 to 18, provided that they meet the same rigorous licensing conditions that apply to all drivers, which will remain unchanged. The change in law is scheduled to come into force on 30 June 2026, enabling young people from across Great Britain to apply for train driving positions from that date. I commend the regulations to the Committee.”
“That will be formalised through a 10-year longitudinal study to monitor the progression, wellbeing and performance of younger drivers, providing a clear mechanism for oversight. Fifthly, the Committee asked about the timetable for wider reforms to the train driver licensing regime, noting concerns about training capacity and projected shortages. Reasons for projected shortages and capacity issues vary across operators and across the country. The Department is developing proposals to reform the 2010 regulations to address those issues and intends to consult on them between 2026 and 2027, as part of the transition towards Great British Railways. We will look to GBR to provide strategic leadership on this matter in the long term. Finally, the Committee asked whether the findings of the longitudinal study will be published.”
“Alongside lowering the eligibility age for train driving apprenticeships, the industry is developing a rail foundation apprenticeship for 16-year-olds, providing a structured skills route into driving. Additional access courses have also been developed to help school leavers to build the non-technical skills needed for driver assessment and selection. Fourthly, the Committee asked for assurance on operational safeguards and oversight. I can confirm that all existing testing and competence requirements will remain in place. In addition, the implementation plan specifies that operators will update internal procedures and safeguarding arrangements for younger trainees. We expect operators to share learning and best practice to support long-term implementation.”
“The practical effect of that is to allow young people to begin classroom learning and supervised practical training earlier, while remaining fully compliant with the Working Time Regulations 1998. Secondly, the Committee asked when the implementation plan would be published. The plan was issued on 19 March and is available on gov.uk. The period between the laying of the regulations on 10 February and 19 March was needed to finalise the apprenticeship offer and ensure that it aligned fully with the new licensing arrangements. Thirdly, the Committee asked whether there will be a clear pathway for 16-year-olds, so that the train driving apprenticeship becomes a viable option for school leavers.”
“and wished to draw the special attention of the House to them in its 52nd report, published on 26 February. I will outline and respond to those questions in turn. First, the Committee asked how regulations will support 16 and 17-year-olds into train driving, and whether the minimum age for the train driving level 3 apprenticeship could be lowered. Since our announcement, my Department has worked with the Rail Delivery Group, Skills England and the Department for Education to explore that. As a result, the minimum entry age for the train driving apprenticeship will be reduced from 18 to 17 and a half, with the intention that that should take effect alongside the regulations.”
“Alongside this measure, we will be working with industry to support an increase in training capacity to ensure that more train drivers are trained into roles and put into service. The policy’s aims are therefore clear: to lower the average age of the driver workforce, increase the number of train drivers in the industry, and create a more stable and diverse profession that reflects the communities it serves. I now turn to questions raised by the scrutiny Committees in their consideration of the draft regulations. The Joint Committee on Statutory Instruments considered the draft regulations on 4 March and did not draw special attention to them. The Secondary Legislation Scrutiny Committee had some questions concerning implementation and policy aims.”
“Lowering the minimum age of train drivers will not on its own solve train driver shortages—it is the responsibility of operators to take steps to secure their workforce—but it is an important first step. The current minimum age of 20 acts as an arbitrary barrier to entry to the profession. By that age, many young people have already committed to other employment, vocations or study. Lowering the minimum age to 18 will allow operators to engage school leavers and offer a clear, structured route into a highly skilled and respected profession. This policy is about not only creating new opportunities for young people, but taking decisive action to ensure that the railway remains resilient, safe and properly staffed for the future.”
“The industry has assured us that the arrangements will be in place by June of this year, which is why we have scheduled this legislative change to take effect on 30 June 2026. From that date, young people will be eligible to apply for train driving positions. I turn now to the reasons why the Government are bringing forward these regulations. The rail industry is facing significant skills shortages, particularly in train driving. Around 25% of the current workforce are expected to reach retirement age by 2030. We project a deficit of 2,500 train drivers by the end of the decade unless action is taken. It is imperative to address that retirement cliff edge, which risks the industry’s ability to maintain current service levels; indeed, operators are already reliant on overtime for sustained timetables.”
“The improvements include preparing formal guidance for operators to ensure recruitment, training, safeguarding and management practices are updated to support line managers and younger drivers, strengthening entry routes and training through revisions to the train driving level 3 apprenticeship standard, and the development of a new foundation apprenticeship. Other proposed improvements include developing a communications plan to raise awareness of the new opportunities afforded by the change in law and how applicants can prepare, developing a new recruitment portal with resources and information to support applications for train driving roles, working with pathfinder operators to identify and share best practice, and running a long-term study to monitor the effects and experience of the change to help to refine the system over time.”
“To ensure a smooth transition, we asked the industry to prepare an implementation plan, which was used to inform a timetable for changing the law. The Rail Delivery Group gathered industry specialists, who confirmed that existing safeguards, testing and supervision remain appropriate for younger entrants, reconfirming that a lower minimum age for train driving can be introduced safely. The Department and the ORR approved the implementation plan in December 2025 and published it on gov.uk on 19 March 2026. The plan proposed improvements that industry will implement to strengthen recruitment, assessment, management and training for all new drivers, not just younger applicants.”
“I thank my hon. Friend for his intervention. We are proud to be able to contribute towards diversifying the occupation of train driver and giving more people access to becoming drivers and working on the railway. Lowering the age of driving is just one step in the process, of course, and moves us closer to delivering a railway fit for the future. We are grateful to ASLEF for drawing this needed legislative change to our attention, and for working with us in Government to lower the driving age and to deliver the Railways Bill. For the reasons that I have set out, on 7 May 2025 my Department confirmed that we will proceed with lowering the minimum age to be a train driver, bringing Great Britain in line with many international counterparts.”
“In doing so, the regulations will help to build a more resilient, diverse and sustainable driver workforce and secure the long-term future of our railways. I urge the Committee to support these measures and approve the regulations. Question put and agreed to .”
“Thirdly, operators are preparing new access and preparatory courses that will help school leavers to develop the essential non-technical skills required for the driver assessment process. Together, those pathways will provide a structured and well supported opportunity for 16 and 17-year-olds to prepare for a career in train driving before they are eligible for a licence at 18. To conclude, these regulations deliver a focused and widely supported reform. They lower the minimum licensing age from 20 to 18 while fully ensuring that the safety, medical and competence standards that underpin the railway are maintained. These changes will widen opportunities for young people and help operators draw from a broader talent pool at a time when many experienced drivers are approaching retirement.”
“But indeed, 18-year-olds can fly planes and join the armed forces; surely they can drive our trains. The right hon. Member also asked about available routes into train driving for school leavers aged 16 and 17. They will have several clear routes. First, a new rail foundation apprenticeship is being developed for young people from the age of 16; it will introduce them to the rail environment and help them to build the technical and behavioural skills needed before progressing to a full train driving level 3 apprenticeship. Secondly, the minimum age for entering the train driving level 3 apprenticeship will be lowered from 18 to 17 and a half. That will allow young people to begin classroom learning and supervised practical training earlier.”
“I thank the Conservative and Liberal Democrat spokespersons for their contributions. The right hon. Member for Basildon and Billericay is quite right to mention those stats on the challenges we face. The average train driver is 47 years old, with 40% of drivers over the age of 50 and just 4% under the age of 30. That trend is set to continue, and we expect 25% of train drivers to reach retirement age by 2030. Turning to other industries, the right hon. Member mentioned coach and bus, but in his time as the Buses Minister he also did not take that forward. We did a consultation in 2024 and we are looking at the topic. We will continue working with Confederation of Passenger Transport and the Road Haulage Association before we take any action, to ensure that it is evidence led and safety focused.”
“Dualling the A21 would carry a significant cost, and the delivery of such a scheme would be really challenging, given the local topography and the number of settlements that the route passes through. It would also have significant environmental impacts—I know that there are sites of significant environmental interest in the area, including ancient woodland—and would require, I think, at least three or four bypasses around villages.”
“Member will be aware —one of the main pinch points can be found at the Kippings Cross roundabout, where the dual-carriageway section meets the single-carriageway section. That junction is being considered for improvement as part of one of the new national programmes in RIS3, and I encourage hon. Members to engage with National Highways over the months ahead as this work progresses and the schemes within the programme are prioritised for delivery. As for dualling the remaining single-carriageway stretches of the A21, there are no plans to do so at the present time. It does not form part of the plans set out in RIS3, and it is not one of the schemes included in the pipeline of schemes for construction in the early 2030s.”
“As the House will be aware, on 26 March, the Government published the third road investment strategy, committing a total of £27 billion to operate, maintain and improve England’s strategic road network over the next five years. That investment will ensure that the network remains safe and reliable while supporting economic growth and improving journeys for users across the country. RIS3 places a greater focus than ever before on the maintenance and renewal of our existing network, with a smaller number of enhancement schemes. Improvements to routes such as the A21 need to be considered in that wider context. RIS3 will deliver tangible improvements through safer and smoother journeys for road users and through targeted programmes tackling key pinch points on the network. For the A21—as the hon.”
“The road supports a wide range of journeys, such as commuters travelling to work, businesses moving goods and services, tourists visiting the coastal towns of Bexhill and Hastings, and people making everyday local trips. When the road falls short in terms of capacity and reliability, particularly on its single-carriageway sections, this can have a real impact on economic opportunities, journey times and quality of life. Turning specifically to the southern section of the A21, National Highways recognises performance concerns, particularly around safety. It has invested over £20 million since 2021 to improve safety between Sevenoaks and Hastings. I recognise, however, that the hon. Member for Bexhill and Battle wants further investment.”
“I am grateful to the hon. Member for Bexhill and Battle (Dr Mullan) for securing this important debate and for his continued advocacy alongside the work of the A21 reference group on what I know is an important issue for the communities they represent. I welcome the opportunity this evening to set out the Government’s position on the A21, its strategic importance and how it has been considered in our longer-term approach to investment in the strategic road network. The A21 is a key route in the strategic road network, performing a vital role in connecting coastal communities in East Sussex and larger towns in Kent to the M25 and the wider national network.”
“While that sits outside of my remit as the Minister for roads and buses, I obviously encourage her to continue pushing for those upgrades. I cannot commit to dualling the A21 at this stage, but I can make the commitment that National Highways will continue working with the hon. Gentleman and the A21 reference group to ensure that safety is prioritised on this route. My hon. Friend the Member for Hastings and Rye spoke about overnight closures, and I commit to raising that personally with National Highways to see what we can do to improve those circumstances.”
“This is not to say that dualling will never happen, and it is entirely right for the hon. Member and other hon. Members to continue to advocate and build the case for such major improvements. Where there is strong cross-party support from across the region, that sends a clear signal for potential future investment, and I encourage hon. Members to continue to engage with National Highways and other regional partners on what more can be done to improve the performance of the route for the communities it serves. To touch on some other points, my hon. Friend the Member for Hastings and Rye (Helena Dollimore) talked about other forms of transport connecting communities, and I know that she has made representations in favour of improving the speed and frequency of trains between Hastings and London.”
“While difficult decisions must be taken about investment priorities, we remain committed to working constructively with National Highways to deliver benefits for road users, and I welcome the continued engagement of Members in building that case. The concerns raised in this debate will be carefully considered as we look ahead to future investment opportunities on the strategic road network. Question put and agreed to.”
“As I said, there are no current plans considering dualling, but National Highways routinely considers the performance of the strategic road network as part of its route strategies process. The hon. Gentleman has my assurance that the current performance and potential future investment needs of the A21 will continue to be assessed in that context to inform future road investment strategies. I have no doubt that he will continue to lobby and to engage with National Highways, along with the A21 reference group. As I have said, I will take away the issue of overnight closures. In closing, I reiterate that the Government recognise the strategic importance of the A21 and the strength of feeling of Members and the communities affected by its current performance.”
“I know that driving test waiting times remain too high, but there are signs that we are starting to turn the corner thanks to the action that we have taken since coming into government. We are increasing examiner capacity, improving booking rules and using Ministry of Defence examiners to provide additional tests. We now have over 100 more examiners in post than in February last year, and the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency has delivered over 124,000 more tests this financial year than last year. We will keep the House updated as progress continues.”
“This Government will continue to do all we can to drive down the waiting times, and of course, we will always keep the affordability of driving tests under review.”
“The DVSA continues its recruitment campaigns for new driving examiners. Examiner capacity is rising, with 1,556 full-time equivalent examiners in post as of February 2026—that is an increase of 108 when compared with the number of driving examiners in February 2025. DVSA has also had difficulty in retaining experienced driving examiners, some of whom retire or leave the DVSA for other roles. We are encouraging them to stay, with exceptional payments of £5,000 to examiners in eligible roles, divided into two payments over the next 12 months.”
“I continue to be flabbergasted by the comments from the Opposition. Let me just remind the House once again that the National Audit Office reported in December that the Department for Transport had had “limited involvement” in helping the DVSA tackle its waiting time backlog “up to mid-2024” and that “DfT largely left DVSA to try and resolve the issue”. The DVSA conducted more tests in December 2025 than during any December in the last 20 years.”
“It is absolute nonsense from the Opposition. Let me tell the House what this Government have done compared with the complete inaction of the previous Government. We are changing the booking service to allow only learner drivers to book and manage their tests. We are introducing a limit on the number of times that learner drivers can move or swap their test to twice, and are making use of the Ministry of Defence to drive up the number of tests available.”
“This Labour Government are providing £7.3 billion for highways maintenance over four years, doubling the funding provided by the previous Government by the end of this Parliament. Our long-term funding approach is already reaping results, with 15% more pothole prevention works carried out in 2025 compared with 2024. Effectiveness is monitored through annual transparency reports, incentive funding requirements and the new traffic light ratings system, ensuring that funding is used to deliver lasting, visible improvements for road users.”
“I am afraid that I do not recognise the hon. Gentleman’s numbers. Capital funding for highways maintenance has not been cut in Wokingham. Wokingham borough council is eligible to receive £28.9 million over the next four years as part of the £7.3 billion investment. That represents a clear year-on-year increase from 2024-25 to 2025-26, with funding due to continue to increase over the next four years.”
“By the end of this Parliament, we will have almost doubled the amount of money going to local authorities to tackle the pothole plague that we inherited from the previous Government. Of course, elements of that are incentives, so if local authorities do not follow the prescribed best practice, they will not receive all that incentive funding.”
“That is exactly why this Government are putting record funding into tackling potholes—so that we can finally turn the tide on having to refill the same potholes time and again. With that long-term funding, councils can now finally turn the corner and prevent those potholes from forming in the first place.”
“Under this Government, all councils must publish a statement on their website so that all local people can hold them to account on exactly how they are spending their money. Let me share an interesting fact with the House: Reform came out by far the worst in our recent RAG—red, amber, green—rating exercise, with a massive 25% of Reform-led councils rated “red”.”
“We are almost doubling the amount of money going to local highways maintenance to turn the tide. That is why a massive percentage of the road investment strategy—something like £8.5 billion—is going on repairing and renewing our strategic road network.”
“National Highways has assessed the status of the land and is taking steps to improve its condition, including replanting substantial numbers of trees, protecting ecological sites and creating new wildlife habitats.”
“On the specific topic of trees, it is an absolute scandal that something like 600,000 trees died as part of the previous Government’s road schemes—some 90% of the trees died at that particular scheme—but of course I will be happy to meet the hon. Gentleman to discuss the individual issues that he raised.”
“National Highways targets the most serious potholes for repair within 24 hours. Under the new road investment strategy, published today, it must keep 96.2% of road surfaces in good condition and resurface around a quarter of its network over the next five years. In addition to National Highways’ work on the strategic road network, Lancashire combined county authority is eligible to receive £268 million in highways maintenance funding over the next four years as part of our £7.3 billion investment in local roads.”
“It is not acceptable for this Reform-led council to refuse to provide basic information to my hon. Friend’s constituents. As I mentioned earlier, 25% of Reform-led councils have been rated red—the lowest rating. It will not surprise my hon. Friend to hear that Labour councils have come out on top. I hope that her constituents will keep that in mind when they go to the polling stations in a couple of weeks.”
“I absolutely agree that constituents should report potholes to their local authority. The good news is that by the end of this Parliament we will have almost doubled the amount of funding to allow those councils to get on top of this pothole plague.”
“I agree with my hon. Friend. We have ambitious plans in England, and a record £7.3 billion investment and clear standards to ensure that councils fix roads properly for the long term. Only Scottish Labour has a plan to build on this approach and to end the pothole plague north of the border.”
“The Department continues to give funding that is devolved to local leaders. It is up to the democratically elected local leaders to decide how to spend it. Funding is allocated for the whole of the hon. Gentleman’s constituency to deal with that.”
“I understand the disappointment that she and other stakeholders expressed following the outcome of the spending review last year. Although difficult decisions have been necessary, the Government recognise the long-term benefits of the Croydon area remodelling scheme. We will continue to work constructively with industry partners, local authorities and stakeholders as we consider future opportunities to improve capacity and performance on this vital route. The case that my hon. Friend has set out today and on many previous occasions will remain an important part of the discussions as we look to the future. I am sure the Rail Minister looks forward to continuing that engagement and ensuring that the Brighton main line remains a reliable, high-performing railway that supports passengers, communities and economic growth for years to come.”
“Given limited funding for rail enhancement projects and the significant recent investment already made on the line, including through Thameslink and Gatwick, the difficult decision was taken not to prioritise CARS at this stage. I recognise that, despite those investments, my hon. Friend and other Members who represent constituencies along the Brighton main line will continue to make the case for investment. The next spending review, due in 2027, will be an important opportunity to make the case for future investment. The Government look forward to working with my hon. Friend and other BML stakeholders in developing that case. I again thank my hon. Friend for securing the debate and for her commitment to championing improvements for rail passengers across her constituency and the wider region.”
“As we know, the covid-19 pandemic changed travel patterns, created uncertainty about future demand and placed considerable pressures on public finances. In response, the previous Government took the decision to cancel the scheme at the 2021 spending review, although regrettably that decision was never actually formally communicated to stakeholders. No further development work has taken place on CARS since then. On 8 July 2025, the Secretary of State updated Parliament on rail infrastructure scheme progress following the 2025 spending review. As my hon. Friend is aware, CARS was not allocated funding. The Government are committed to delivering infrastructure that offers the greatest benefit to passengers and the wider economy as quickly as possible and within a fully funded, deliverable programme.”
“Friend outlined, the complex junction at Selhurst—often referred to as the Croydon bottleneck—alongside the challenging operation of East Croydon and Norwood Junction stations, places significant constraints on the capacity and smooth operation of the network. CARS was developed to address those challenges through extensive remodelling of the tracks and rail junctions north of East Croydon station. The programme also included plans for the redevelopment of East Croydon and Norwood Junction stations. At the time, Network Rail estimated that the scheme would take more than 10 years to deliver and would cost about £2.9 billion. Delivery would also require substantial disruption for passengers travelling along the Brighton main line.”
“Following platform widening and track remodelling, passengers can now board more quickly, which reduces delays and cuts journey times between Brighton and London by up to five minutes, and improves performance and reliability overall. It has also reduced knock-on delays further up and down the line. I hope my hon. Friend and her constituents have started to see the direct benefits of those interventions at Gatwick, be it in the efficiency of the train service or the ease with which they can start their holiday journeys. Before the pandemic, the Croydon area remodelling scheme was rightly identified as a way to address overcrowding, increase capacity and improve the reliability of the Brighton main line. As my hon.”