Driving tests cancelled as Shropshire examiners go on strike

Members of the Public and Commercial Services union walked out yesterday and were due to stage a second strike today.

The union represents 1,600 Driving and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) staff at 350 sites across the UK, including driving examiners and officers who carry out vehicle and traffic safety checks.

Stewart Williams, union regional secretary for the West Midlands, said around a dozen driving test examiners in Shropshire were taking part in the 48-hour strike.

He said Shrewsbury Driving Test Centre, Oswestry Driving Test Centre and Harlescott LGV Driving Test Centre had been closed yesterday, while Telford Driving Test Centre had been partially shut.

Mr Williams said: "There has been excellent support. Most examiners do seven tests a day which will give you an idea of the number of tests which have had to be cancelled."

The row is over new working patterns, which the union says will lead to longer shifts.

The union said the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency had failed to give assurances over working hours following talks earlier this week.

It wants the agency to scrap plans to extend the working day and increase the number of driving tests examiners would be expected to carry out.

The union said it would be impossible to conduct all tests in daylight hours during the winter.

It has also called on the agency to conduct thorough research before making any changes, including into the physical and psychological effects of more tests and their likely impact on safety.

In the ballot, 91 per cent voted for strikes and 97 per cent for non-strike industrial action.

There was a 65 per cent turnout.

Mark Serwotka, general secretary for the Public and Commercial Services union, said: "This is about road safety and examiners are furious that the DVSA is pressing ahead without properly negotiating with us or fully understanding the likely consequences of its actions."

DVSA chief executive Paul Satoor apologised for any inconvenience the strike was causing and said everything was being done to try and minimise disruption to customers.

He said: "Staff signed up to a new standard employment contract in April 2014 in exchange for a lump-sum payment and a three year pay deal.

"This was agreed with the trade unions, and included transitional payments which came to an end on November 1, 2015.

"We have also recently offered operational staff a number of flexible working options to enable us to provide more convenient and flexible services to our customers.

"It is disappointing that the trade unions have now chosen to oppose some aspects of the contract and the more flexible working options."