The Department for Transport has issued a statement following calls for motorcyclists without a full driving licence to be banned from working as delivery drivers in London. The London Assembly last month passed a motion urging the Labour government to prohibit the use of provisional licences for commercial work, citing road safety concerns.
London Assembly motion targets provisional licence use
Under current rules, moped riders can work as fast food delivery drivers once they have obtained their Compulsory Basic Training (CBT) certificate. Thomas Turrell, the Conservative London Assembly member who proposed the motion, said the CBT "wasn't built for indefinite use" and described the practice as a "menace to the road".
"The CBT was built as a way for people to learn the roads and build up that knowledge," Turrell told the Local Democracy Reporting Service. Labour Party Mayor of London Sir Sadiq Khan previously told the London Assembly he "firmly" believed the current CBT was "not fit for purpose" and was "not an appropriate level of qualification, particularly for those driving for work".
MP calls for government action on delivery riders
Louie French, the MP for Old Bexley and Sidcup, said: "The Labour government has lost control of delivery drivers abusing the L plate system. The government must urgently grip this situation to ensure that all delivery drivers are working here legally and are not endangering other road users."
The Department for Transport responded with a statement outlining ongoing work. A spokesperson said: "As part of our road safety strategy, the DVSA consulted on reforms to moped and motorcycle training and testing, including whether there should be a time limit on CBT certification. We are now analysing the responses, with the aim of improving safety and modernising motorcycling."
Just Eat backs stronger regulation for delivery riders
A Just Eat spokesperson said: "The safety of all road users is extremely important to Just Eat. We actively support stronger regulation and robust enforcement to tackle modified e-bikes and requiring moped riders to have a full licence. We remain committed to working with authorities and our industry peers to ensure the roads are safe for all users."
The DfT's analysis of the DVSA consultation responses will determine whether changes are made to CBT certification time limits, which could affect thousands of delivery riders operating in London and across the UK.
