D1 licensing reform: what community transport operators told us

By David Kelly, our Head of Policy and Campaigns

CTA has published a new infographic setting out key findings from our D1 Licensing Campaign survey and consultation.

Between January and April 2026, we heard from over 400 respondents from Community Transport Operators across the UK about how the current D1 licensing rules are affecting their ability to recruit drivers, meet demand and sustain services.

The message from the sector is clear: driver shortages are already having a real impact on community transport.

Many organisations told us they do not have enough drivers to meet the demand for their services. Others said they have been unable to grow or expand, have had to turn down requests for support, or have already reduced or cut back services.

Looking ahead, the concern is even greater. A significant majority of respondents said they are not confident their organisation will have enough D1 drivers to sustain their services over the next three years.

The consultation also showed strong support for a practical, training-based route to D1 licensing. Respondents were most likely to support Option 2B, which would replace the requirement to take a separate D1 test with a training-based licence upgrade route, supported by additional safeguards to maintain safety and quality standards.

This evidence will help inform the next stage of CTA’s D1 Licensing Campaign, including our forthcoming White Paper, due in autumn 2026, which will set out more detail.

Use our infographic in your conversations

We have created an infographic to help members share the key findings from the campaign so far.

You can use it when speaking to policy makers, local politicians, funders, partners and other stakeholders about the impact of driver shortages on your organisation and your community.

The infographic is designed to help explain:

• why the current D1 licensing rules are creating challenges for Community Transport Organisations
• how driver shortages are already affecting services
• why realistic licensing changes are urgently needed
• what kind of solution the sector is united in calling for

Download the infographic for your own use here.

If you are meeting with your MP, councillors, local authority officers or other decision-makers, we encourage you to share the infographic and use it to explain how D1 licensing affects your organisation locally.

CTA will continue to use the evidence gathered through the campaign to make the case for reform and to ensure the experiences of Community Transport Organisations are heard by decision-makers.

If you have any questions, contact our Policy Team at policy@ctauk.org.