Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency: Performance

Thursday 19 January 2023 · 4 questions

Summarised by AI from the official record, so it can contain mistakes.

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Answered 1 Partly answered 3 Not answered 0

Key points

  • Alistair Carmichael raised concerns about long wait times for practical driving tests in Orkney and Shetland, with no test dates available in Orkney.
  • The Minister stated that the DVSA is recovering from the pandemic and has created an extra 695,000 car practical driving test appointments since April 2021.
  • Greg Smith highlighted that constituents in Mid Buckinghamshire face difficulties in booking driving tests at local test centres.

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 Alistair Carmichael Lib Dem Orkney and Shetland
Transport Parliamentary Procedure
Context

The question comes after a period of concern regarding the performance of DVSA services, particularly in booking practical driving tests. There has been a notable increase in waiting times for these tests.

Question

What recent assessment has been made of the performance of the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency? I am concerned about the long wait times for practical driving tests in my constituency, especially since there are no test dates available in Orkney. Additionally, there is a lack of availability for off-road motorcycle testing.

Answer from Richard Holden

The DVSA is recovering after the pandemic. The theory test service is performing well, with 620,000 practical test appointments in the booking system. Since April 2021, the DVSA has created an extra 695,000 car practical driving test appointments and the average waiting time to take a car test is at 15.1 weeks, with more than 80,000 slots currently available. The heavy vehicle testing service is operating normally and enforcement operations continued throughout the pandemic.

Answered
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Q2 Alistair Carmichael Lib Dem Orkney and Shetland
NHS Transport
Context

There is a significant discrepancy between the DVSA's reported performance and actual practical driving test availability, especially in remote areas like Shetland and Orkney. The earliest booking for tests in Shetland is 18 weeks away.

Question

If the Minister were to go online to book a test in my constituency today, he would find that in Shetland, the earliest date is 18 weeks away and in Orkney, there are no test dates available. This is apart from the lack of off-road motorcycle testing availability. Could the Minister prevail upon her to come north and see for herself the effect on our communities?

Answer from Richard Holden

My understanding is that in Shetland, the average waiting time is 18 weeks, but in Orkney it is significantly less. I will write to the right hon. Member about this discrepancy. Additionally, £26.7 million has been announced for transport funding for the Fair Isle infrastructure project.

Partly answered

Not addressed: The Minister did not address the specific ask for a visit from the chief executive but mentioned a separate funding announcement.

How: Under Review, Looking At This

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Q3 Greg Smith Con Mid Buckinghamshire
Transport Agriculture & Rural Affairs
Context

There are significant challenges in booking practical driving tests for residents of rural areas, with many constituents unable to secure a test date at nearby test centres.

Question

Multiple constituents have written to me about the inability to book driving tests. Despite logging on daily, they cannot get a test at Bletchley, Leighton Buzzard, Aylesbury, Banbury or Northampton. For rural communities, cars are essential for mobility. Will my hon. Friend prioritise test centres in these areas?

Answer from Richard Holden

We have made progress with over 300,000 new slots available due to hiring 300 more driving examiners. Waiting lists are coming down and we hope to achieve pre-pandemic levels within the next few months.

Partly answered

Not addressed: The Minister did not directly commit to prioritising rural test centres but acknowledged progress in reducing waiting times.

How: Under Review, Looking At This

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Q4 Simon Lightwood Labour (Co-op) Wakefield and Rothwell
Transport
Context

The DVSA requires a provisional bus licence to start training, but there are long paperwork delays causing many applicants to drop out before they can begin their training.

Question

Nationwide, almost one in ten bus driver positions is vacant. The DVSA requires a provisional bus licence for starting training, but with huge paperwork delays, 20% of applicants give up. Will the Minister listen to calls to speed up this process so applicants can start theory tests while waiting?

Answer from Richard Holden

I have been raising this point and have spoken with unions and management. There is an under three-week wait for practical driving tests for bus drivers, and we are seeing progress across the country. We have increased the number of driving tests during the pandemic to prioritise HGV and passenger transport drivers.

Partly answered

Not addressed: The Minister did not directly commit to speeding up the provisional licence process but mentioned recent actions taken.

How: Under Review, Looking At This

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