Driving Tests: North East

(asked on 18th October 2021) - View Source

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what estimate she has made of the extra number of days of testing capacity the opening of Hexham and Bishop Auckland driving theory test centres will create per year.


Answered by
Trudy Harrison Portrait
Trudy Harrison
This question was answered on 21st October 2021

The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) is working hard to provide as many driving theory test appointments as possible. The transition of the theory test service in September 2021, will improve access for people in the North East by increasing the number of test centres from four to seven. There are currently six test centres now open, including Hexham which opened on 15 October 2021. A further test centre at Bishop Auckland will be opening on 9 November 2021. These seven test centres will offer over 90,000 theory tests a year. The DVSA is working with its supplier to meet service levels to ensure local demand is met.

By opening additional theory test centres in the North East, the DVSA expects to offer 110 theory test appointments at Hexham and 330 at Bishop Auckland in the next 12 months. This may vary in response to local demand.

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