Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps her Department is taking to increase the number of driving tests in Broxtowe.

The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency’s (DVSA) main priority is upholding road safety standards while it works hard to reduce car practical driving test waiting times. The agency is intensifying its efforts to reduce waiting times and improve access to driving tests that will break down barriers to opportunity as part of the government’s Plan for Change.

On the 12 November, the Secretary of State for Transport, updated the Transport Select Committee on the government’s ongoing response to high driving test waiting times.

In the coming months, DVSA will:

• Change the booking service to allow only learner car drivers to book and manage their tests
• Introduce a limit on the number of times a learner car driver can move or swap a test to twice and also limit the area they can move a test to once booked.
• Make use of Ministry of Defence (MOD) driving examiners for up to 12 months to help tackle driving test waiting times.

DVSA is also continuing with recruitment campaigns across the country to provide as many tests as possible. Since July last year, DVSA has recruited and trained 344 driving examiners (DE) who are now in post and delivering driving tests. A full-time DE can be expected to add approximately 1,200 tests per year to the booking system.

Nottingham Chilwell test centre serves candidates from Broxtowe. Since June 2024, DVSA has recruited six new entrant driving examiners who are now conducting tests at Chilwell.

DVSA has also advertised for this test centre in its recent recruitment campaign and applicants are working their way through the interview process. DVSA will be advertising again for this test centre in its next recruitment campaign.