LOWERING THE MINIMUM AGE REQUIREMENT FOR TRAIN DRIVERS

Our ref: HSR

Head Office Circular: NP/186/24

24th July 2024

To: The Secretary

ALL BRANCHES

REGIONAL COUNCILS

 

Dear Colleague

 

LOWERING THE MINIMUM AGE REQUIREMENT FOR TRAIN DRIVERS

 

            A recent Department of Transport consultation on ‘Lowering the minimum age requirement for train drivers from 20 to 18 years’ has led the NEC to discuss the issue of minimum age requirements and RMT policy on this. 

 

            At its meeting on 23^rd July 2024, your National Executive Committee noted and adopted the following report from its Health and Safety sub-committee from when they met to consider the matter:

 

Further to our decision to reject the report of our h&s subcommittee in relation to Department of Transport consultation on ‘Lowering the minimum age requirement for train drivers from 20 to 18 years’.  We instruct the General Secretary that going forward our policy on the issue of minimum age requirement is that the internal line of promotion into the driver’s grade must be open to all grades, meaning that train drivers are recruited from a wide range of railway experience. 

 

We instruct the General Secretary to advise branches and regional councils accordingly. 

 

            I am acting in line with these instructions. Please bring this circular to the attention of all relevant members.

 

Yours sincerely

 

 

 

Michael Lynch

General Secretary