Van drivers have been given the clearest indication yet that they will have to undergo lifelong learning and obtain vocational qualifications in professional driving.

In the next road safety strategy, which will run until 2020 and aims to make the country’s roads the safest in the world, the Department for Transport (DfT) plans to introduce a wide range of measures including improving training for at-work drivers.

The draft strategy, which was published last week, invites fleet managers and training providers to put their views forward for consideration on how to best deliver ‘lifelong’ driver training.

The DfT has said that no decisions have been made on how the additional vocational training programme will be funded.

"With one-third of road deaths involving at-work drivers, a comprehensive driver risk management programme for employees is a key lever to deliver the strategy," said Drive and Survive managing director Seb Goldin.

"Specific skills are required to safely control different vehicles. A driver who may be used to a car may not be as comfortable in a larger van.

"At-work drivers also regularly drive in new environments and are exposed to long periods of driving which they may not be used to. A focus on adjusting driving attitudes and behaviours is also important in the overall driver training process.”

Also included in the proposals are plans to review the speed limits on rural roads and to enforce a 20mph limit near schools and in residential areas.

This could see many minor A roads with a 50mph rather than 60mph limit.

The Road Haulage Association has said that HGVs should also be allowed to travel at 50mph on single carriageway roads A roads. Currently HGVs are limited to 40mph.

“This often leads to tailbacks of traffic behind trucks as motorists queue up to overtake," said RHA chief executive Roger King.

"But at least there is a 20mph speed separation between HGVs and other road users. However, under the new proposals that will become just 10mph, which is not enough of a cushion to allow safe, legal overtaking.”

The new measures form the Government’s plan to cut road deaths by a third by 2020.

"It is intolerable that eight people are still dying on our roads each day,” said road safety minister Jim Fitzpatrick.

"We want to make Britain's roads the safest in the world. That will mean improving vehicles and the road network as well as helping drivers and other road users to be as safe as possible.”

The insurance industry has welcomed the plans.

"When we see safer driving and therefore fewer accidents as a result of today's plans, the knock-on effect would be a reduction in car insurance premiums,” said Andy Goldby, director of motor underwriting at Direct Line.

The consultation can be found at: www.dft.gov.uk/roadsafetyconsultation

The Government proposals

• Introduce a new vocational qualification for van drivers

• 20mph limits around schools and residential areas

• Reduce the speed limit on more dangerous single carriageway rural roads

• Create a new independent expert panel to identify issues and trends from fatal accidents

• Reform the driver training and testing process

• Introduce a new voluntary pre-driver qualification for 14-17-year-olds.