Government plan to reduce driving test waiting lists in Dorset
A seven point plan's been set out for the DVSA
A raft of proposals to cut down on staggeringly long waiting lists for driving tests in Dorset and across the country have been announced by the Government.
Learner drivers are currently having to wait nearly 23 weeks for tests at the Dorchester centre, and 20 weeks for a slot at the Poole site - some of the longest backlogs ever.
The DVSA say they want to tackle backlogs - and there’s a new seven point plan.
It involves hiring 450 new examiners and some potential changes to they way booking tests work.
It could even mean learner who make multiple serious faults whilst on test - or are abusive to examiners are penalised and forced to wait longer before they can rebook.
The DVSA say all of this will mean nearly two million extra tests next year - with the hope of bringing waiting times down to 7 weeks by next December.
Lilian Greenwood, Minister for the Future of Roads, said:
"Passing your driving test is a life changing opportunity for millions – but sky-high waiting times for tests in recent years have denied that opportunity to too many people.
"No one should have to wait 6 months when they’re ready to pass, travel to the other side of the country to take a driving test or be ripped off by unscrupulous websites just because they can’t afford to wait.
"The scale of the backlog we have inherited is huge, but today’s measures are a crucial step to tackle the long driving test wait times, protect learner drivers from being exploited, and support more people to hit the road."