Demand for Driving Lessons and Driving Tests increase after UK Lockdown
After recent openings of driving schools and driving test centres there has been a substantial backlog of keen learner drivers across the UK due to lockdown. The DVSA estimates a backlog of 420,000 practical tests, 380,000 theory tests and up to a 17 week wait for a practical test.
As the UK gradually comes out of Lockdown Boris Johnson announced that from the 12th April all driving lessons and theory tests would be allowed to continue, and from the 22nd of April practical tests would be able to be resume in England and Wales. In Scotland it would begin from the 26th and 6th of May respectively.
In order to accommodate student’s extra theory and practical test centres have been opened across the UK including Salford. Local driving firm PassMeFast UK’s Customer Advisor, Beth, said:
“I think people are also aware of the huge backlog that the nation is facing and understand the importance of securing their place in the queue.”
“We have also opened a number of additional centres to cope with the demand for theory tests.”
“The new theory test centres are in Cambridge, Huddersfield, two in Leeds, two in London, two in Salford and Wolverhampton. The test centres have extended their opening hours from 8am-8pm and are open on Sundays.”
In order for lessons to once again get under way certain precautions will still need to be taken. For example, constant wearing of masks, and at least one window must stay open in the car when a lesson is ongoing. Testing centres have also ensured safety by bringing in extra Covid-19 measures, such as one-way systems, and extra sanitization stations. Beth said:
“The theory test centres have been modified to incorporate social distancing, one way systems and hand sanitizer ports.”
Local Salford driving instructor, Philip Lamplugh, works for PassMeFast UK and discussed what the recent easing of restrictions meant for himself and his students. He said:
“It has been a tighter schedule, because a lot more people want to learn with having such a long break over the last 12 months.”
“After the first lockdown last July it was quite a shock, I found it very tiring for the first two or three weeks, because you had lost that sense of concentration during lessons after a long break.”
In between lessons he stated that their needed to be a 15-minute gap to ensure thorough cleaning and sanitizing of the vehicle. This further reduces capacity as up to two hours per day is spend sanitizing.
“It is quite intense now; I’ve got quite a long waiting list for people wanting to start lessons again.”
Despite the good news of lessons starting again, many people were put on the furlough scheme, meaning less money was going into the pockets of families. Philip noticed that some of his previous students had dropped out of lessons. He said:
“I did have four or five out of the 25 I teach that just stopped doing lessons altogether, because it had just become too stressful at home and university…and I think financially because of furlough it was hitting them.”
