Driver CPC post EU exit – changes?

The take up of Driver CPC training (Certificate of Professional Competence) is currently said by training providers to be much lower than expected.

Lorry drivers with acquired rights (because they obtained their goods licence before 10 September 2009) who must have completed their second 5-year training cycle of 35 hours’ training by 9 September 2019 have a low rate of training take-up, compared to the position 5 years ago.

In what is a very worrying driver shortage scenario there may be a number of reasons for this such as retirement and poor working conditions. But one suggestion is that the failure of some drivers to carry out Driver CPC training is linked to the belief that if the UK leaves the EU from 29 March 2019, which is currently the case, there will no longer be any Driver CPC requirement.

However, operators and drivers need to be aware that this is not the case and there is no planned change in the Driver CPC regime. Indeed, the Vehicle Drivers (Certificates of Professional Competence) (Amendment) (EU Exit) Regulations 2018 were laid in Parliament in September 2018 and comes into force on EU ‘exit day’. They ensure that ‘the system regarding certificates of professional competence continues to operate effectively’.

Therefore there will not be any new Driver CPC system operating after 29 March 2019 and the Department of Transport has already made plain there is no planned change thereafter, in any event.
This means the training requirements must continue to be adhered to and there will still be the additional legal obligations for drivers to have in their possession a driver qualification card and be able to produce it as required. Of course, those drivers previously exempt will continue to be exempt.

Similarly there will no change affecting domestic operators and drivers in all other areas relating to road transport operations e.g. drivers’ hours rules, operator licencing, construction and use, driver licensing etc. International operators face continuing severe uncertainties since there is currently no agreement regarding operations outside the UK e.g whether there may be mutual recognition of operator’s licences. We will update you with regard to this in separate blogs that will also include developments relating to haulage permits and trailer registration.