Richard Lochhead MSP has received an update from the Driver & Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) on the availability of practical driving and theory tests in Moray.
After being contacted by constituents regarding the difficulties they’ve had booking tests locally and in a timely manner, Moray’s MSP wrote to the DVSA to highlight the frustration and concern many were facing and to push for more capacity to be made available in Moray.
The DVSA have recognised that there is ‘currently a high demand for practical driving tests’ and state that they are ‘working hard to provide as many practical driving test appointments as possible’.
The DVSA also confirmed that the ‘availability of theory tests and the opening times of each centre are in line with anticipated demand’.
Commenting on the challenges locally and the DVSA’s response, Mr Lochhead said:
“Many constituents have been in touch with me in recent weeks to express their concern and frustration at the long waits locally for both theory and practical driving tests.
“I know that many folk, particularly young people, will be keen to sit and pass their driving test to ensure they have more freedom and so it is important that there is sufficient capacity for testing.
“Although it is good to hear that the DVSA have added extra theory test appointments and have taken a number of actions, including recruiting additional examiners and asking qualified testers who have recently retired to return, to reduce waiting times for practical driving tests, many are still waiting a number of months for a test.
“While it is understandable that the backlog will have built up during the pandemic while driving tests were suspended, the DVSA should have foreseen this and put in place extra capacity as soon as testing was able to resume.
“I am hopeful that these additional measures will ease the pressure on the service and see the backlog begin to clear.
“I will be continuing to press the DVSA on this over the coming months and encouraging them to ensure testing capacity at Elgin is meeting the demand.”
