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GP report requirement lifted for bus and lorry licence renewal

The Government has temporarily lifted the requirement for GPs to write a medical report as part of the licence renewal process for lorry and bus drivers aged over 45.

It said this would ‘relieve’ GPs and allow drivers to return to work during the recovery from the Covid-19 crisis.

The legislation forms part of the Business and Planning Bill, which was announced last week as a package of laws aimed to ‘help businesses get back on their feet and get people back in their jobs safely’.

Announcing the Bill, the Government said it was making ‘temporary provisions for bus and lorry drivers aged 45 and over to forego the need for a D4 medical in order to renew their driving entitlement’.

It added these changes ‘are temporary and will only apply where the licence has not expired before 1 January 2020’.

Business secretary Alok Sharma told the House of Commons: ‘The Bill temporarily allows the issuing of one-year lorry or bus driving licence renewals, rather than the standard five years.

‘Shorter renewals will be allowed if an applicant is otherwise healthy but unable to obtain the medical report required for a five-year licence.

‘That will relieve pressure on GPs and allow drivers to continue to work.’