A different role i applied for at Newcastle just got put on hold, but I am yet to receive any correspondence in regards to the driving role. I suspect with COVID things tightening in the North East a lot of things may be put on the back burner until next year.
Maybe, but it's worth remembering that workplaces are exempt from most of the more recent tightening of regulations, and the industry has worked hard to be able to restart training as there is a need to fill roles across the board. It is fairly straightforward to socially distance adults in a classroom. A cab environment, admittedly less so, but most TOCs are dealing with that problem through regular testing and the forming of 'training bubbles'.