ELECTRONIC DRIVING LICENCE CHECKS – NETWORK RAIL

Our Ref: HSR/4/2
Head Office Circular: NP/113/22
6th May 2022
To: The Secretary
ALL BRANCHES
REGIONAL COUNCILS

Dear Colleague,

ELECTRONIC DRIVING LICENCE CHECKS – NETWORK RAIL

FOR THE ATTENTION OF ALL NETWORK RAIL EMPLOYEES

Further to Head Office Circular NP/103/22, dated 22nd April 2022, I received a communication from the company as follows:

After 6 months of operating the online licence checking system in parallel with a secondary line manager process, we find that the line manager check does not provide assurance that driving licence checks are receiving the scrutiny required to be assured that staff have a valid driving licence for the categories of vehicles being driven on company business. We want to comply with our duty of care to ensure that drivers have the correct driving licence entitlement for the following key reasons:

Drivers are legally allowed to drive our vehicles on the road
Drivers will be covered by our insurance arrangements and
The process provides assurance to colleagues who may be in the vehicle with them
The process provides line managers with accurate information relating to the status of staff driving licence authority.

The online system provides a robust process which achieves all of the above, and for the reasons stated we are removing the secondary approach as of the 31st May 2022.

Your National Executive Committee, at its meeting on 5th May, noted and adopted the following report from its health and Safety Sub-committee:

The General Secretary is instructed to write to NWR explaining that their proposals are unacceptable and that a meeting is required at which we can agree a mutually acceptable position with the Company.

I am acting in accordance with these instructions.

Please bring the contents of this circular to the attention of relevant members.

Yours sincerely

Michael Lynch
General Secretary