EXCESSIVE DRIVING TEST WAITING TIMES

With waiting times for driving tests of 5 months immediately prior to the current lockdown, driving instructors are calling on the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) to take dramatic and urgent action to bring

this down to within their 9 week national target.

Lynne Barrie, ADINJC Chair said “The situation has become so serious that people are becoming desperate and calling for driving instructors to be allowed to grant driving licences where they believe it is safe to do so. The driver training industry and the vast majority of professional driving instructors do not support such measures since they not only potentially threaten the integrity of the driving test but they are also only open to abuse and will potentially put our members under unreasonable pressure from pupils and their families.”

Lynne went on to explain “The main issues, in our opinion, are twofold. Firstly, the Government are refusing to extend theory test certificates despite the fact that they amended legislation to extend MOT certificates during the first lockdown and the Northern Ireland Executive extending theory certificates last year. Following a petition demanding the extension of theory certificates receiving 55,000 signatures, in their response and at a debate called on 28th January 2021 the Transport Minister, Rachel Maclean MP, attempted to justify their decision by claiming that it was vital that learner drivers retained their theory skills at the same time as, contrary to driver training industry advice, allowing learner drivers to undertake a driving test the day that previous lockdowns ended! We also fail to comprehend how MOT testing itself poses a dramatic Covid-19 safety risk when garages remained open and, despite the Government calling on drivers to ensure their cars remained roadworthy during lockdown, how the inherent road safety risks of extending MOT certificates can be less than extending theory certificates; at least if the DVSA listened to driver training industry advice and delayed the start of testing for at least 3 weeks following the end of lockdown to enable test candidates to receive further practice and refresh their knowledge and skills.”

“Secondly, on the subject of practical driving tests, it is evident that action taken to date by DVSA including weekend testing, holiday buy-back and deploying all driving test warrant holders will not reduce 5 month test waiting times anytime soon and it is anticipated that even longer waiting times could result following the current lockdown requiring far more innovative and radical measures. For example, in the Republic of Ireland in 2006, global testing and certification company, SGS Group, were awarded a contract by the Government of Ireland to undertake driver testing alongside government provision and this successfully reduced waiting times from 7 months to within the target 10 weeks.”

Quentin Wilson, motoring journalist, author, original Top Gear presenter and ADINJC patron said ‘Making learner drivers who have passed their theory test go through the expense and stress all over again because of Covid-related delays is deeply unfair. We need to do everything we can to support this generation struggling with qualifications of all kinds. The government extended MoT certificates - they can also extend Theory Test Certificates.’