Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to her Department's policy paper entitled the Road Safety Strategy, published on 7 January 2026, whether she has had conversations with optometrists on mandatory eye testing for drivers.

My officials have met with various optometrist organisations (including the College of Optometrists and the Association of Optometrists) while developing the proposed changes to eyesight testing for older drivers, and we will continue to engage with optometrist organisations as our policies develop further.

The consultation on introducing mandatory eyesight testing for older drivers was published on 07 January. We welcome responses from optometrists and optometrist organisations.

The consultation can be found at the following link: https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/introducing-mandatory-eyesight-testing-for-older-drivers/introducing-mandatory-eyesight-testing-for-older-drivers