'L' of wait for learner drivers as thousands of tests cancelled in Shropshire

Today sees driving tests resuming for the first time in months, but a county instructor has warned that the backlog in people waiting for an examination could lead to "horrendous" waits.

Karen Jones instructor and owner of KS Driving School in Shrewsbury has urged the government to add more examiners to help get through the backlog.

It comes as figures show that 3,783 driving tests in Shropshire were cancelled between March and December last year.

A total of 3,813 did take place – with 1,936 passes – meaning around 50 per cent were unable to go ahead as planned.

Mrs Jones said that people with tests booked – who had been unable to take lessons until they resumed on April 10 – had no option but to proceed with the test because of the fear that the next slot might not be available for months.

She said: "Usually they have two hour lessons every week but they have not been able to drive with parents throughout the lockdown because they would be fined and a lot of people adhered to that. So some will have maybe one or two lessons before they have a test.

"They say don't take the test until you are ready but they wont be able to get another test until next year.

"If you go on to try and book a test anywhere – I tried dates for Shrewsbury, Ludlow, Newtown, Wolverhampton – I tried virtually everywhere and it is not showing anything until next year."

Examiners

Mrs Jones urged the government to do what it can to get more examiners in place.

She said: "It could be horrendous for people waiting. The DSA have to get into gear to get these examiners on the road, doing what they are saying – opening on weekends, early and late."

As tests start today the AA said the disruption may have impacted learner drivers' confidence and compounded a difficult time for many young people.

Across Great Britain, 458,000 tests could not take place because of the pandemic in 2020, though the DVSA said there are currently 420,000 booked for when testing centres reopen.

Robert Cowell, interim managing director of AA Driving School, said: "Many pupils will have either had a big break in lessons, which may impact their confidence, or have had to postpone driving lessons for many, many months.

"For young people, who have already suffered disruption to their education, not being able to learn to drive will compound an already stilted start to adult life."

He added that extending the validity period of theory test certificates – as has been the case for MOTs and driving licences – or offering a free re-sit, could help reduce demand, or at least lessen the financial impact.

Nicholas Lyes, head of roads policy at the RAC Foundation, said: “Learner drivers will breathe a sigh of relief that driving lessons and tests are restarting, however the backlog for those waiting for both practical and theory tests is likely to be huge."

He also urged the DVSA to consider a short extension for those whose theory test has either expired, or is about to, but the Government has already said it will not do so.

DVSA chief executive Loveday Ryder said: “I know the suspension of tests has been incredibly hard for learners and many are keen to take their test now, but it is important that candidates are properly prepared and don’t rush to take it.

“With more than half of candidates failing, and demand currently extremely high for tests, learners should only take their test only when they are confident they can pass. This will help them to avoid a lengthy wait for a retest and help us by not adding to the backlog of tests.

“We are doing all we can to provide as many tests as possible and I know that it will be frustrating for some time. We are sorry for any inconvenience but please bear with us as we start getting our services back to normal.”