Gibraltar’s bus and Lorry drivers will now be required to undertake 35 hours of periodic training, every five years in order to remain qualified. This new initiative, will see drivers carry out EU Certificate of Professional Competence training, which aims to maintain high standards of road safety and driving among professional drivers.

All bus drivers must be CPC certified by 9 September 2013 and all lorry drivers must be CPC certified by the following September. This is the first training to be offered in Gibraltar and it has been taking place this week at Bleak House and the John Mackintosh Hall under the instruction of qualified accident investigator, John Reape from Ireland.

In addition to basic mechanical knowledge of buses and lorries, this week’s training course has covered risk management, health and safety and customer care.

Commenting on the initiative, Minister for Traffic and Technical Services, Paul Balban noted, ‘It is essential that we keep up with the EU’s requirement. The Government is pleased to offer this course which will increase the professionalism of people in the trade. It will also increase the wider employability of our drivers.’