The UK government has formally moved to lower the minimum age for train drivers from 20 to 18, opening the profession to teenagers from summer 2026 as the rail industry braces for a wave of retirements amid the launch of Great British Railways.
Legislation has been laid in UK Parliament during National Apprenticeship Week to allow 18-year-olds to apply for train driver roles from 30 June 2026, the Department for Transport confirmed on Tuesday. The change is framed as a response to looming workforce shortages, with a quarter of all UK train drivers expected to reach retirement age by 2030. That figure rises sharply in some regions, to 32% in Scotland and the North East, and 38% in Wales, according to government figures.
The reform comes as half of Britain’s train operators return to public ownership, with ministers stating that the next generation of drivers would be central to unlocking the network’s potential for passengers and freight ahead of the creation of Great British Railways.
“Lowering the minimum age for train drivers is a significant step forward for young people across Britain,” said rail minister Lord Peter Hendy. “It’s a move that will help secure the future of Great British Railways and the wider rail industry and ensure the workforce reflects the energy, talent and ambition of the next generation.”
Workforce pressure and diversity gaps
Fewer than 4% of train drivers are currently under 30, according to the DfT, while women make up just 11% of the workforce. Less than 13% of drivers are from a minority ethnic background, underscoring what ministers described as a lack of diversity across the industry.
Despite a certain level of concern over allowing younger people to take on such responsible positions, the government said that lowering the age threshold would create new pathways into a highly skilled profession, while aligning Britain with countries including Switzerland, Germany and Australia, where drivers can qualify earlier. It also brings mainline rail into line with other UK transport roles, where 18-year-olds can already become pilots or drive Tube and tram services in London.
Apprenticeships and youth employment
Meanwhile, the Department for Work and Pensions tried to link the policy directly to efforts to tackle youth unemployment. “With almost a million young people not in education, employment or training, we need to open up new routes into skilled, well-paid careers,” said Work and pensions secretary Pat McFadden. He added that such apprenticeships benefitted “everyone”: “Young people gain skills and a foot on the career ladder, while employers gain the fresh talent they need to grow. It’s a great example of what’s possible when government, unions and industry work together.
Industry bodies and unions have indeed welcomed the reform, arguing it will help address recruitment pressures while allowing experienced drivers to pass on skills before retiring. Daniel Mann, director of industry operations at Rail Delivery Group, said the change would help support long term resilience, while the UK’s train drivers’ union, ASLEF, which has long campaigned for a lower entry age, said it would help the industry compete for talent at a critical decision point in young people’s lives.
“This decision, to allow people to leave education and become a driver at 18, will increase diversity in the driver’s cab by encouraging more young people from all communities to drive trains on Britain’s railways,” ASLEF general secretary Dave Calf said. “Many young people make their career choice at 18 and the industry misses out as the current minimum age is 20,” he added. “This change will widen the opportunity for the rail industry to recruit the large numbers of train drivers required over the next five years.”