Heidi Alexander, the Labour MP for Swindon South and Transport Secretary, is set to target older drivers with new road rules as part of a road safety plan. The 51-year-old has been re-appointed as Andy Burnham's Transport Secretary, though she is not widely known in Labour's cabinet. Alexander stepped down as an MP in 2018 to serve as London's Deputy Mayor for Transport before returning to Parliament.
New Road Safety Strategy includes mandatory eyesight tests
Under Keir Starmer, Alexander has introduced rail fare freezes, changes to bus travel, and a new Road Safety Strategy. Among the changes listed in the strategy is "to consult on introducing mandatory eyesight testing for drivers over age 70." The plan also states that officials will "develop options for cognitive testing for older drivers."
The consultation was held by the Department for Transport earlier this year, ending in May, with a final decision yet to be published. The DfT report said that current considerations for new policies would include mandatory eyesight testing for drivers aged 70 and above. Individuals would need to get their vision tested at every renewal thereafter, meaning checks around every three years.
Potential expansion to younger drivers
Officials have warned that consideration was being given to starting at a younger age or increasing the frequency of assessments when motorists reach milestones such as 75, 80, or 85. The DfT said that decisions had not been made on whether to use the existing NHS eyesight test or to develop a bespoke assessment.
As Transport Secretary, Alexander will decide whether mandatory eyesight rules go ahead and what they could look like. In the Road Safety Strategy report, she said: "The UK has historically been a global leader in road safety. However, over the past decade 22 European countries have made more progress in reducing road fatalities than the UK. This is a warning I won't ignore. We must take action and reject the flawed idea that drivers alone bear responsibility."
