Lowered the minimum age for train driving licences to 18 in Great Britain while maintaining a 20-year age limit for the Channel Tunnel zone.
These Regulations lower the minimum age for obtaining a train driving licence in Great Britain from 20 to 18 years.
While permitting younger drivers on the general rail network, the instrument prohibits anyone under 20 from driving within the British Channel Tunnel zone, which includes the tunnel itself and specific lines to Ashford International and Dollands Moor.
These rules apply to the Office of Rail and Road as the licensing authority, as well as railway undertakings and infrastructure managers who are prohibited from deploying underage drivers in the specified tunnel zone.
Arguments For
The document states that lowering the licensing age to 18 aligns train driving with other transport sectors and updates secondary assimilated law.
The Regulations assert that the 20-year age limit in the British Channel Tunnel zone is necessary to comply with a bilateral agreement between the United Kingdom and France regarding rail operations.
Proponents indicate that the instrument corrects previous defects in S.I. 2019/677, ensuring legal clarity by removing cross-references to inoperable provisions.
The explanatory note claims the changes are made under the Retained EU Law (Revocation and Reform) Act 2023 to modernize railway licensing requirements.
Arguments Against
Legal commentators may note that the divergence in age requirements between the British Channel Tunnel zone and the rest of Great Britain creates a tiered licensing system for young drivers.
Railway undertakings could face administrative complexity in ensuring drivers aged 18 and 19 are strictly excluded from routes entering the British Channel Tunnel zone.
Unions or safety advocates might question the impact of lowering the age requirement on operational safety, although the document does not address safety assessments directly.
The geographical limitation to Great Britain excludes Northern Ireland, maintaining different regulatory standards for train drivers within the UK.
Citation, commencement and extent
- -(1) These Regulations may be cited as the Train Driving Licences and Certificates (Amendment) Regulations 2026.
- (2) These Regulations come into force on 30th June 2026.
- (3) These Regulations do not extend to Northern Ireland.
This section establishes the official name of the regulations and sets the date they become legally active as 30 June 2026.
It specifies that the new rules apply only to Great Britain and do not apply to the rail system in Northern Ireland.
Amendment of the Train Driving Licences and Certificates Regulations 2010
- -(1) The Train Driving Licences and Certificates Regulations 2010 are amended as follows.
- (2) In regulation 4 (requirement for licences and certificates)- (a) after paragraph (3), insert-
'(3A) A railway undertaking or infrastructure manager must not deploy a person under 20 years of age to drive a train in the British Channel Tunnel zone.
(3B) A person under 20 years of age must not drive a train in the British Channel Tunnel zone.';
- (b) in sub-paragraph (8)(a), omit 'subject to paragraph (9),';
- (c) in paragraph (13), for 'Subject to paragraph (14), in' substitute 'In'.
(3) In regulation 8(2)(a) (conditions for obtaining a licence), for '20' substitute '18'.
This section reduces the minimum age required to hold a train driving licence from 20 to 18 years.
It simultaneously creates a specific legal prohibition preventing individuals under 20 from driving trains within the British Channel Tunnel zone, which encompasses the tunnel and designated connecting lines.
Railway operators and infrastructure managers are prohibited from assigning drivers under 20 to these specific routes.
The section also removes legacy cross-references to ensure the 2010 Regulations remain functional following earlier legislative changes.
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