Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps her Department is taking to reduce the backlog of driving tests in Sherwood Forest constituency.

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.

Further information on these actions and progress of DVSA’s plan to reduce driving test waiting times, which was announced in December 2024, can be found on GOV.UK.

From previous recruitment campaigns for driving test centres that serve the Sherwood Forest constituency, three new driving examiners (DE) have completed their training and are now conducting tests. One at Ashfield and two at Nottingham (Colwick) DTCs.

From recent recruitment campaigns, a potential DE is currently undertaking training for Ashfield DTC. DVSA has also made offers to eight potential DEs, two for Ashfield, three for Worksop and three for Nottingham (Colwick) who will start their training at the earliest opportunity.

DVSA will be undertaking another recruitment campaign and will again advertise for posts in the local area.