Cheers -I have a freight driver mate who said he needed to do a "6 monthly" on one of his obscure routes so assumed that was the rule.
Everything, as always, is governed by the (RGS) Group standards. The 6 month rule goes back to 90 something but was removed and it was decided that as long as the Driver feels competent to drive it then nothing prevents them from doing so.
TOCs, as most people know, tend to be a bit on the lazy side so they keep to old rules and old standards. There is nothing wrong with this. What also happens is that each TOC must have a specific set of standards for route learning and Driver competency. How they do that is pretty much down to the TOC and as long as it meets group standards then all is good.
I have various routes on my card that I haven't driven in years. My last one I drove with a huge gap between was a gap of just under 2yrs. I'm happy to keep the route on my license. Some routes you pull as quick as possible. 6 months is still used by TOCs and some TOCs have built in refresher days, some don't. Some of our Drivers still stick to the 6 month rule, some aren't too bothered. If the TOCs standards state they must have a driving a route within the 6 month period or require a refresher then that's what rule they follow.
Routes are easier to retain the more experience you have. I had an extended time off and wanted a refresher for all routes. Within a few stations, it felt natural. Another Driver pointed out that because I've driven it so much over the years it really is 'like riding a bike' For newer Drivers they need refreshers as they are building up experience and are still learning.
Hope that helps
