Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps her Department is taking to (a) reduce waiting times for practical driving tests, (b) increase the availability of driving test examiners and (c) expand access to test centres in (i) South Cotswolds constituency and (ii) other rural areas.

The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency’s (DVSA) main priority is upholding road safety standards while it works hard to reduce car practical driving test waiting times.

On the 23 April, the Secretary of State for Transport appeared before the Transport Select Committee and announced that DVSA will take further actions to reduce waiting times for all customers across Great Britain, including those in rural areas.

Further information on these actions and progress on DVSA’s 7-point plan, which was set out last year, can be found on GOV.UK.

DVSA’s 7-point plan included recruiting and training 450 driving examiners (DE). In its recent recruitment campaign, DVSA advertised for three DEs for Swindon, Cheltenham and Gloucester. DVSA’s recent recruitment activity in the area has resulted in:

• three DEs waiting to begin training; and
• one DE completing pre-employment checks.

Additionally, the agency has one DE transferring into Gloucester from another test centre.

Should applicants successfully complete the required training, this will increase the number of DEs working in those test centres to 28, from 20.

DVSA is committed to providing its customers, including those in rural areas, with the best service possible. DVSA continually reviews its estate to ensure it represents good value for money and is efficient.