Changes to driver training rules parked ahead of General Election

A series of changes to the Driver Certificate of Professional Competence (CPC) qualification have been delayed after the Government called a General Election.

The minimum course length was expected to be halved from seven to 3.5 hours and e-learning to be de-coupled from trainer-led courses.

There was also going to be more flexibility in end of module assessments and an accelerated pathway for returning drivers introduced.   

The Department for Transport (DfT), however, told Fleet News that the new regulations still needed to be debated in both Houses of Parliament before they could become law.

Due to Parliament being dissolved on Thursday (May 30) ahead of the election, debates will now need to be rescheduled when Parliament returns, says the DfT.

It had published statutory guidance just last week (May 22) detailing the changes to the Driver CPC training for HGV drivers, which were expected to come into force in February 2025.

However, a new Government will now decide how time is allocated in Parliament for the changes to be debated and what legislation it wishes to prioritise.

Before learning that the legislation had been delayed, John Keelan Edwards, MD of Driver Hire Training, said Government plans to maintain and enhance Driver CPC were “good for the industry”, as the changes made it a “more flexible, accessible qualification”.

“The updates will also make sure those considering a career in logistics know that there is a pathway for them, and there is ongoing investment in personal development,” he added.

The Driver CPC, which was introduced in 2007, is a qualification that professional drivers of certain goods or passenger carrying vehicles are required to hold in addition to their driving licence.

In the UK, except in the case where a driver had ‘acquired rights’, it is initially obtained by completing four test modules consisting of a two-part theory test, case studies, a practical driving test and a practical demonstration of vehicle operation. 

It is then renewed by completing 35 hours of periodic training every five years. Completing 35 hours of training allows a driver to drive for commercial purposes for five years.

The main objectives of Driver CPC, when introduced, were to improve road safety and the safety of the driver, including during operations carried out by the driver while the vehicle is stopped and to raise the professional recognition of drivers, thereby attracting greater interest in the profession and increasing the number of drivers.

As a result of the acute driver shortages in 2021, the Government announced a policy review into the Driver CPC in November 2021. 

The review sought to assess how the qualification could be reformed to reduce the burden on drivers and ensure it did not act as a barrier to working in the sector.

The outcome of this review, published in March 2023, proposed ways in which the qualification could be reformed, which were put to public consultation.

Edwards said: “Drivers need to check their Driver Qualification Cards and if they are due to expire in the next few months, they need to get on and do their training hours as soon as possible.

“Demand will ramp up as the September deadline approaches so it's best to get the training in now.”

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