Residents have been in touch with me in recent months sharing how hard booking a practical driving test has become since the pandemic. There is often a significant wait for tests in the East of Surrey meaning residents are having to travel further to book a test.
I have sent a letter to the Chief Executive of the Driver & Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) outlining residents' concerns about the availability of driving tests and the causes of the issues. You can read the letter below.
Dear Loveday,
Several residents have been in touch with me concerned about the backlog to take a practical driving test in Eastern Surrey. These residents either have relatives waiting to take a test or are waiting to take a test themselves.
The average waiting time for a test as of March 2023 in the local area is as follows. At West Wickham, the average wait is 13.26 weeks. For a test at Bromley, the average wait is 14.94 weeks. To the south of Eastern Surrey, at Crawley is 14.16 weeks and in Eastern Surrey itself, Redhill Aerodrome is 7.2 weeks.
Tests at Redhill Aerodrome are difficult for residents to get as it is a small test centre so they are having to go to West Wickham, Bromley, Crawley or further afield. I believe that these average waiting times are far too long for learner drivers to have to wait. And if they fail their driving test, it causes anxiety as they know it won't be quick to book a new test.
Local driving instructors have told me that their costs in fuel have increased significantly since the backlog started. This is because they are having to travel further to enable their pupils to take tests due to the backlog. This is in turn causing increased costs to pupils for driving lessons. It is already expensive as it is to learn how to drive, but the backlog of tests is making it more expensive for learner drivers.
Furthermore, the ongoing dispute between your organisation and the driving examiners causing them to strike is also having an impact on test availability. I understand that driving examiners don't have the best pay or working conditions at the moment but this dispute is having a negative impact on fixing the backlog.
It is all too common to hear from residents since the pandemic that they are now having to retake their theory test because the wait for a driving test after they have failed is too long. One resident in this situation who got in touch is a key worker who is having to rely on the goodwill of their partner and their colleagues to get them to and from work. It shouldn't be like this.
The recent closure of Croydon test centre in the last year has not helped the backlog locally and has increased pressure on other test centres in South London such as West Wickham and Mitcham. Given that Eastern Surrey residents often used Croydon test centre, this closure has exacerbated the backlog for learner drivers in the community, including in Westway, the ward I represent.
I am asking you on behalf of residents in Eastern Surrey to take tangible action to address the backlog so that learner drivers have one less stress when it comes to taking one of the most challenging tests they will ever face in their lives.
I look forward to hearing your response.
Yours sincerely,
Taylor
If you are having any driving test booking difficulties that you would like me to represent to the DVSA, please get in touch with me.
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