Press Release: Liberal Democrat Zöe Franklin calls for urgent action to tackle driving tests backlog in Guildford

Guildford Liberal Democrats
Contact: Zöe Franklin
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Liberal Democrat Zöe Franklin calls for urgent action to tackle driving tests backlog in Guildford

Guildford's driving test centre needs urgent help to tackle a massive backlog in tests according to Zöe Franklin, Liberal Democrat Parliamentary Candidate for Guildford and Cranleigh.

Thousands of local people are facing up to a six-month delay for a driving test and in some cases delays are so long that they are having to re-sit theory tests as the expiring date has passed. The backlog in tests is a result of the significant reductions in tests available during 2020/21 due to the pandemic combined with a shortage of driving test examiners.

According to figures uncovered by the Liberal Democrats fewer than a quarter of the 300 extra driving test examiners promised by the government have been recruited so far. Locally, the Surrey test centres in Surrey (Reigate/Redhill, Guildford and Chertsey) have their number of examiners falling from 17 full time and 6 part-time in 2019 to 17 full time currently.

The issue is further compounded by the shortage of driving instructors to take lessons. The latest figures show there were 38,365 approved driving instructors in the UK in June 2021, down almost a fifth from 46,569 a decade ago.

Having reviewed the figures Zöe Franklin has written to the Department of Transport calling for extra resources to be made available to Guildford.

Zöe Franklin, Liberal Democrat Candidate for Guildford and Cranleigh said:

"Across the country, over 400,000 people are still waiting for a driving test and Guildford waiting times are some of the longest. Young drivers are being held back from moving to the next stage of their lives as they can't drive to jobs or experience the freedoms that come with driving.

In more rural parts of my constituency driving is essential as public transport is so poor and these delays are causing real stress and in some cases impacting job prospects.

It's time the government did more to support the test centre here in Guilford so we can clear the backlog. That's why I have written to the Department of Transport calling for extra resources to be made available to tackle the backlog and fulfil the promise the Government made to recruit more driving test examiners."