Hi chaps

I have recently had my cat ripped out :(. Could somebody help me list out the parts I'm going to need?... Read more

Typical of the Nationalist Assembly that are in power. No though of how business will survive Read more

The whole driver testing system organised by DVSA is in chaos. About 10 months of practical driving tests have not taken place equating to about 1.6 million tests, of which about 750,000 would have resulted in a pass.

New drivers need a test to obtain a licence for work opportunities, travel to college, or in normal times, to socialise. Their life chances are being jeopardised by the lack of a driving licence.

This is not directly the fault of DVSA which is restricted by government dictat, but there appears to be no plan B to provide tests when restrictions are lifted. For a short period last year some tests were provided under onerous conditions, but the number was very limited due to staff shortages and only 5 a day by those examiners who were prepared to work instead of the usual seven.

If DVSA are going to resume tests using the same procedure the waiting list will become unacceptably long, perhaps a year or more. DVSA rarely hit their waiting time performance target in normal times, so with the pent up demand there is no chance.

There is an opportunity to avoid this looming catastrophe and that is to follow a similar solution as has been found for teachers to be involved in providing the grades of their pupils work for GCSE and A level exams.

Approved Driving Instructors (ADIs) are are standards checked by DVSA to enable them to be on the Register of ADIs. There is no good reason why they cannot assess their own pupils and grant a test pass when they consider that the prospective new driver has reached a standard where they are safe enough to drive on their own.

DVSA examiners are naturally concerned about becoming infected by meeting 35 different people a week within the confines of a car. ADIs will have been teaching their pupils and be aware of their circumstances and health situation, so the risk is lessened.

Using the professional abilities of ADIs in this way will allow more people to be assessed and issued with a full driving licence thereby reducing reducing the driving test waiting time.

Of course there will have to be checks and balances. ADIs would have to be periodically supervised by DVSA personnel, either in car, or by checking their pass rate, but these problems could easily be overcome with little imagination.

So many people are being held back from progressing their careers and other activities, that it would be monstrously unfair to extend that period of time any more than absolutely necessary.

ADIs must be allowed to assess and pass their own pupils.
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www.autocar.co.uk/car-news/industry-news/updated-7...e Read more

If my car fails the MOT, I take it away, repair it, then take it beck for a retest, I understand they have to reduce the cost to a half price "partial retest" (and I've known some garages do it free). But what if when I phone for the retest, they are fully booked long enough for the 2 week period to expire? Read more