Inishowen learner drivers quitting due to tailbacks

An Inishowen driving instructor has said that the backlog in securing a driving test is resulting in learner drivers giving up on their lessons.

Aspiring Inishowen motorists are waiting more than seven months to take their driving tests, as waiting lists have reached their highest levels across the country since the pandemic. 

Donal Bradley, of Street School of Motoring, says learner drivers are “Frustrated; some of them have given up hope on it and have stopped lessons.”

New data from the Road Safety Authority (RSA) shows 83,000 applicants were waiting for a test in April, a significant increase from the same month last year, when there were 58,860 on the waiting list.

At the Buncrana test centre, which covers all of Inishowen, there are 448 people on the waiting list, up from 335, 12 months ago. At Donegal's other two test centres, there are 1,280 people waiting for a test in Letterkenny and 589 in Donegal Town.

Currently, Inishowen’s learners are tested by a floater tester from Letterkenny. The tester isn't situated in Inishowen but does test drivers in the peninsula.

Approved Driving Instructor Donal Bradley said Buncrana needs a full-time tester if there is any hope of reducing waiting times.

"When we had our previous full-time tester, the delay was down from 10 to 12 weeks.” 

By removing the tester and only having a part-time one then "You are multiplying your issue and have created a problem. It is not coming up with a solution but doubling the issue, as half the number of people are getting tested and more are going on the system trying to get tested."

The RSA has a target of 10 to 12 weeks from the moment a learner driver books their test until the date they are invited to choose a time slot. However, this is now at an average of 27 weeks and up to 30 weeks in Buncrana. The last time the Inishowen centre was within target was December 2022.

It means that a driver booking their test this week wouldn't be invited for a test until the start of next year.

Mr Bradley stated that: "Thirty weeks is minimum. Sometimes there are ones waiting a year and a half. I don't know how their system works in rotation. If I applied before you, I should get my test before you, but that doesn't happen.” 

READ NEXT: Funeral of second Lough Swilly drowning victim to take place this weekend

Transport Minister Sean Canney has instructed the RSA to bring forward new measures to address the unacceptable waiting times.

To support the RSA in increasing testing capacity and improving service delivery, in September 2024 the Department sanctioned an additional 70 permanent positions for driver testers. The first tranche of new testers has only been deployed into service. Additional testers will enter the system over the coming months.

The RSA has committed to Minister Canney that the waiting list will be reduced to 22 weeks by the end of May, to 18 weeks at the end of June and that the service will be returned to the target average wait of 10 weeks by early September at the latest. 

Instructor Donal Bradley is dubious about this announcement.

“That is simply telling people what they want to hear. I am 15 years at this and I have heard it all before. It was great one time. It was an acceptable timeframe from six to ten weeks.”

Following pressure from the government, the RSA has released a statement outlining measures of how it intends to boost testing capacity. These include the training of new testers through the use of additional training facilities and a revised approach to training, enabling early deployment of new testers to centres.

The RSA is also planning to expand the hours of testing. The statement further added that they will be implementing a targeted manual intervention in the booking system to ensure invitations are issued to areas of greatest demand, to ensure more efficient slot allocation.   

Donal believes the changes to the booking system don’t go far enough. The Buncrana tester is calling for the rule of learner drivers having to wait six months after acquiring their first learner permit before they can join the waiting list for a driving test to be scrapped. 

“This means when the six months are up, that when they have completed their 12 lessons, there should be a letter in the post with a date for the test.”