A railway safety body has issued a reassurance about plans to cut the minimum age of train drivers from 21 to 18, in a bid to boost their numbers.

Almost a third of the present workforce are due to retire in the next five years, and cancellations have been caused by a lack of staff.

The Department for Transport says younger drivers could be joining the industry by the end of this year.

Transport secretary Heidi Alexander said: ‘We’re taking bold action to improve train services and unlock thousands of jobs.

‘We’re committed to getting the economy moving and a big part of that is getting young people into the workforce, putting them on track for a skilled and fulfilling career, which will boost growth across the country and help deliver our Plan for Change.

‘We’re future-proofing our railways against delays and cancellations caused by a shortage of drivers, ensuring that we can provide reliable, passenger focused train journeys under Great British Railways for decades to come.’

Mark Phillips is CEO of the Rail Safety and Standards Board, and he says its research shows that train drivers aged between 18 and 21 are not too young to do the job safely: ‘To boost economic growth by running more frequent rail services, the industry needs to invest in enabling more young people to start train driver apprenticeships. Our research determined that 18-year olds are capable of safely becoming train drivers and identified opportunities to improve how the rail industry manages competence for all drivers.

‘Starting a train driving career could be more appealing at 18 than at 20, as young people can choose it over pursuing a degree or an office job. It is an excellent career choice, offering the opportunity to work independently in a role that carries huge responsibility.’

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