In a recent debate in the House of Lords on the 2018 report by the All Party Parliamentary Group on Heritage Rail (APPGHR): ‘Engaging the Next Generation: Young People and Heritage Railways’, the Heritage Railways Association (HRA) [Alliance member] President Lord Faulkner drew unchallenged support for heritage railways.
There was unanimity across the house, recognising the huge value of heritage rail in social and economic terms. Amongst the supporters was Lord Ashton, Parliamentary Under-Secretary for Digital Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS), who offered support for changes under the Health & Safety at Work Act 1974 to remove concerns about the engagement of volunteers under the age of 16.
Lord Ashton also applauded the introduction of the Level 3 Apprenticeship for heritage engineering technicians, and highlighted the option covering skills for the restoration and repair of locomotive steam engines through the BESTT programme, developed with the help of the HRA.
To read an account of the debate in full, visit the Hansard website, or you can listen to the debate here.