Covid-19 Saw over 1000 Salisbury driving tests cancelled
Learner drivers can retake take their tests from today
Last updated 22nd Apr 2021
Over 1,000 driving tests were cancelled in Salisbury last year because of the Coronavirus pandemic.
Ahead of tests starting up again today, A1 Roadcraft centre say it may have impacted learner drivers' confidence but they are advising people to take as many lessons as possible to improve that.
Figures from the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency show 1,042 driving tests were cancelled at the Salisbury Test Centre because of the pandemic between March and December.
A further 15 tests were cancelled for other reasons - including 10 for medical absences and five because the examiner took annual or special leave.
Across Great Britain, 458,000 tests could not take place because of the pandemic in 2020, though the DVSA said there are currently 420,000 booked for when testing centres reopen.
Aubrey Steele is the Managing Director of A1 Roadcraft, he says most of his students have been quite tolerant.
"Most of them want tests, they want a licence to carry on with a job, get on with a job or expand their job.
"All of those things are putting pressure on the student, which is putting pressure on us, which is making us put pressure on the driving examiners. Which doesn't normally work because they have a programme that they stick to.
"My advice to students is don't hold back on the practice, get as much practice as you can and be disciplined, look well ahead and take as many driving lessons as you can.
"We as a company have been parked up for some considerable time, there is very little in our business that we can do without a driving examiner.
"We've had some support from the government, but we have a financial backlog of things we've postponed, should have paid and haven't paid, which will probably stick with us over the next five to 10 years."
SOME TESTS DID GO AHEAD
While more than 1,000 tests were cancelled in Salisbury, 1,263 did take place between April and the end of December.
Of these, 745 were successful, giving drivers at Salisbury Test Centre a pass rate of 59% - above the average across Britain of 50%.
Meanwhile, DVLA figures from March show just 2.97 million people in Britain aged 16-25 hold a full licence - the smallest number since records began in November 2012.