Comment: The need to recruit drivers - both young and old

Rail Minister Lord Hendy took the trouble to brief journalists on the thinking behind the decision to reduce the minimum age for train drivers from 20 to 18.

This could have been controversial, but it passed off without a murmur in the mainstream press as the argument behind it was well set out and the plan had been sanctioned by the Rail Safety and Standards Board. It was also pointed out that given the length of the required training, not many 18-year-olds will be in full control of a train.

It did, though, strike me as odd that it was necessary to bring about this change.

I recognise that it will make it easier to recruit school leavers directly as they finish their education. But given that it’s a well-remunerated job with the guarantee of long-term employment, it seems strange there are not more older recruits moving from related professions such as driving buses, or people tired of dull office jobs, or ex-service personnel.

I think that’s a PR failure. The image of train driving may still be that of controlling a steam engine, getting very dirty and tired rather than sitting in a comfortable modern cab with minimal need for physical exertion (though a lot of mental concentration).

Recruitment of drivers is now a priority, given that staff shortages are responsible for many cancellations. And the situation is set to get worse.

With almost a third of drivers reaching retirement age in the next three years, many of those will have maxed out their pensions and therefore be likely to leave the industry.

Ministers have recognised that the only way to reduce the need for rest day working is to increase the numbers of full-time drivers. The very success of Great British Railways may well rest on the ability to boost recruitment, hence this change.