Debate on lowering HGV driving age

A local councillor is calling on the government to reduce the HGV licence age requirement from 21 to 18 years.

Back in February, against the recommendations of the European Transport Safety Council (ETSC), politicians in Brussels voted in favour of member states introducing new rules to allow an accompanied driving scheme for 17-year-old lorry drivers.

The current recommended minimum age to drive HGVs in the EU is 21 years but five countries already allow 18 year olds to drive lorries under certain conditions.

The Parliament also backed the concept of allowing 16-year-olds to drive cars fitted with a speed limiter.

Only last week the UK government moved to relax the laws on 18 year olds getting behind the wheel of large or commercial vehicles.

Logistics firm owner and Fine Gael Councillor, Peter McVitty, wants the government to do likewise as a way of addressing the shortage of drivers across the transport industry where “major problems” remain with recruitment.

The legal age at which a person can acquire a HGV licence was lowered to 18 years in 2009 but reversed again amid concerns over road safety.

Cllr McVitty urged his fellow elected members to speak with fellow councillors, TDs and MEPs on the matter.

His motion received support from fellow party member Winston Bennett who asked: “Why do we put restrictions on these things?”

He said that most 21 year olds with an interest in working would already have started a career elsewhere before meeting the required age to get a HGV licence.

There was support too for the change to happen here in Ireland from Cathaoirleach Philip Brady (FF), T.P. O’Reilly (FG), from Aontú’s Sarah O’Reilly, and Sinn Féin’s Paddy McDonald.