Anna Sabine MP demands Government takes “Urgent Action” on driving test delays
Anna Sabine MP demands Government takes “Urgent Action” on driving test delays
Following the release of a survey released last month on driving tests, where Anna asked for local residents’ experiences on wait times for driving tests, Anna Sabine MP for Frome and East Somerset has written to Minister, Heidi Alexander to demand better.
The survey, which received over 150 responses from young people who spoke of the inordinate wait times they face to drive and the impact this can have on their ability to get to school or jobs.
The data collected showed that the majority of respondents were waiting four months or more for a test, with 1 in 5 learners, waiting over six months.
Writing to Heidi Alexander, Minister for Transport, Anna said the data “highlights a system still under extreme pressure and the urgent need for reform, especially in rural areas where driving is essential”.
The Department of Transport has recently announced that they have instructed the DVSA to intensify efforts to reduce waiting times, but Anna questioned if they were doing enough? In rural areas where young learners have highlighted that driving is a necessity due to lack of alternatives, with over 80% stating their reasons for wanting to drive was the unavailability of public transport, Anna said a lack of driving tests is leaving young people in Frome and East Somerset “disadvantaged” in their ability to access jobs or an education.
Other issues highlighted in the survey were the financial impacts of delays. Further lessons to stay test ready, the use of third-party apps and travelling to other cities for tests, as well as paying multiple times for theory tests that have expired in the time waited for a practical test., All of these significantly impact learners, and in particular those from low income families, students and apprentices.
Writing to Ms Alexander to share the results of the survey, Anna demanded “clear details of the timescale and targets for the urgent improvements necessary to address this problem in my constituency”, further asking to discuss the particular impact this has on more rural areas where public transport is also a problem.
“None of these issues are in isolation” Anna said after sending the letter, “rural areas are not given public transport infrastructure, easy access to jobs or education, and when our young people try and take it upon themselves to solve the problem through driving, they are again thwarted. The Government is not only failing to support them, they are creating an impossible situation which leaves a generation isolated and feeling abandoned.”
“If we want to give them the chances they deserve, we need to invest in opportunities and that starts with allowing young people the same ability to access jobs and education as those in more urban settings.”
Anna is keen to get a speedy reply from the Minister, and get clear answers on what she plans to do to improve the situation for the young people of Frome and East Somerset.
Full Letter Transcript below:
Secretary of State for Transport
Dear Heidi
Re: Driving test delays
While I welcome your announcement earlier this year that the Department for Transport has instructed the DVSA to intensify its efforts to reduce waiting times and improve access to driving tests, I remain concerned that current actions are not reducing waits significantly in many areas.
Following numerous emails from my constituents at their wits’ end trying to get a test, I recently conducted a survey to see whether the situation has improved in the last six months or so in my constituency.
I received over 150 responses from young people who were clearly passionate about the impact this was having on their ability to reach education and jobs.
Wait times were consistently long, with the majority waiting 4 months or more for a test, and 1 in 5 learners waiting over six months.
This highlights a system still under extreme pressure and the urgent need for reform, especially in rural areas where driving is essential. Given the recent admission to the Transport select committee that waiting times would not be brought down to the target of 7 weeks by next summer, are any additional measures being introduced to address this?
Young learners highlighted that, given the lack of alternatives in rural areas, driving is a necessity. Over 80% stated that their reason for wanting to drive was that public transport is not reliable or available. This leaves young people in my constituency disadvantaged in terms of accessing jobs and even education. They are keen to be in work but cannot get there without a driving licence.
When learners try to book a test there was a complete lack of available driving test dates, especially at local centres such as Trowbridge, Chippenham, Yeovil and Bristol. This also meant learners having to resort to booking initial tests in places as far away as Liverpool, Plymouth and Aberdeen. In April, the government said they would provide at least 10,000 extra driving tests a month. Are you able to confirm if this has been achieved, and whether the benefits are distributed throughout the country?
Respondents reported tests disappearing instantly on the DVSA website with apps using bots to secure the slots before people. This meant many learners felt forced to pay for multiple apps which were described as unreliable, expensive or scams.
Intensive driving schools also block-book large numbers of tests, leaving other learners to “fight algorithms every day just for a chance at a test.” While I welcome your recent announcement that third parties will be limited in reselling slots, more measures are needed to stop this practice.
The financial impact of these delays for my constituents is also significant and this is obviously harder on low income families, students and apprentices. Costs are increased by third party apps, travel to other cities for tests, having to pay for more lessons to stay ‘test ready’, and even having to re-sit theory tests because these have expired while waiting for the practical test.
I would welcome clear details of the timescale and targets for the urgent improvements necessary to address this ongoing problem, especially in my constituency. Are their plans to introduce more test centres in the region? I would also welcome an opportunity to discuss with you the particular impact on more rural areas of the current lack of test availability and waiting times, where access to public transport is also a problem.
Urgent action is needed to stop the increased stress and financial burden on young people in particular, causing delayed employment and disrupted education.
I look forward to your response.
Yours sincerely
Anna Sabine MP