DRIVING instructors are having to turn away eager young learners as they try to make their way through the backlog of thousands of rescheduled tests.

Between March and December last year 1,797 driving tests were cancelled at the Colchester Test Centre because of the pandemic.

According to the latest figures, published by the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency, 726 budding drivers in Clacton also saw their tests postponed.

Lessons and tests across England have now recommenced, but the impacts of the previous 12 months are still being felt.

Currently there are 420,000 driving tests booked and the average waiting time is now about four months.

Gazette:

Some instructors, such as Lee Boot, 53, of Walton, who uses the Clacton Driving Test Centre, are working extended hours to catch up.

He said: “This has impacted us massively, my books are still full so I cannot take any new people on, leaving many 17-year-olds unable to get an instructor anywhere.

“I am really busy now and I have had to take on more hours and work Saturdays in order to get through the backlog.

“There is one young girl I teach who booked her test in March last year and has had it postponed every time she was due to take it.

“I do not think the driving industry will get back to normality until next year, because the pandemic has really hurt us and we are now having to catch up.”

Some tests, however, did take place last year, including 1,274 in Colchester and 266 in Clacton between April and December.

Loveday Ryder, chief executive of the DVSA, has now urged learners to only book a test when they are ready.

She said: “I know the suspension of tests and lessons has been incredibly hard for learners.

“With more than half of candidates failing, and demand currently extremely high for tests, learners should only take their test only when they are confident they can pass.

“This will help them to avoid a lengthy wait for a retest and help us by not adding to the backlog of tests. We are doing all we can to provide as many tests as possible and I know that it will be frustrating for some time. We are sorry.”