Blackburn councillors call for graduated driving licence after fatal crash
Motion for young driver restrictions unanimously agreed at council meeting
Councillors in Blackburn with Darwen have urged the government to consider introducing a graduated driving licence scheme for young drivers following a fatal crash earlier this month.
The crash occurred on Wigan Road in Bolton shortly before 1am on 11th January when a red Seat Leon collided with a Citroen C4 Picasso. Four people were killed, including Blackburn taxi driver and father-of-four Masrob Ali, 54, and three Bolton teenagers.
On Thursday night, Blackburn with Darwen’s full council meeting unanimously backed a motion to write to Transport Secretary Heide Alexander advocating for restrictions on newly-qualified drivers modelled on Northern Ireland’s upcoming Graduated Driving Licence scheme, set to begin in October 2026.
Improving road safety for young motorists
The motion proposes implementing measures such as staged learner periods, zero-alcohol rules, night-time restrictions, passenger limits, and supervised driving practice for young drivers aged 17 to 23.
Cllr Shaukat Hussain, who moved the motion, called it a non-political but urgent initiative to address road safety concerns.
“This motion is non-political. This is a really serious issue,” Cllr Hussain said.
Seconding the motion, Cllr Parwaiz Akhtar paid tribute to crash victim Masrob Ali, describing him as “a caring father, a caring husband, and a very good community worker.”
Cllr Akhtar added that Ali's tragic death was one of several incidents involving young drivers, referencing another case from 2016 when a nine-year-old boy in Blackburn, Adam Limbada, was killed in a collision involving a 25-year-old driver.
Positive impact globally
Cllr Quesir Mahmood, Blackburn with Darwen’s highways boss, emphasized the effectiveness of graduated driving licence schemes in reducing road casualties globally.
“This has been tried and tested in other parts of the world and it has been shown it does have an impact in reducing casualties,” Cllr Mahmood said.
Cllr Terri Mahmood, representing Blackburn Central, highlighted the real-world importance of the scheme beyond politics.
“Graduated driving licences is not an abstract policy to me. It’s something that could genuinely change the way young people learn, behave and stay safe on our roads,” he said.
The council’s unanimous decision reflects growing concerns about young driver safety and aims to promote change at a national level.