A message from Nationwide Associations Strategic Partnership
NASP welcomes the NAO’s report on check ready occasions, because it brings into sharp focus the failings of DVSA, and wider Authorities, in tackling driving check backlogs, in addition to highlighting the very actual prices of those failures.
The nationwide associations have been interviewed as a part of this investigation, and we have been unflinching in our suggestions, highlighting the core points, the impacts being felt by trainers and pupils on the bottom, and providing clear insights into what measures ought to have been carried out, in a extra expedient method, to try to convey down check ready occasions.
We’re happy to see that NAO has recognised one of many greatest points is Examiner recruitment and retention. Though DVSA would favor to focus us all on the impacts of the bots, and different points with the reserving system (particularly as that is the one of many few areas the place Ministers have introduced what they consider to be concrete options), the fact is that check resourcing lies on the coronary heart of the backlogs and this will solely be resolved by recruiting and deploying extra examiners – an space the company has been notably challenged in reaching with solely 83 new Examiners being recruited in opposition to a goal of 400 roles, after 19 successive recruitment campaigns.
Equally regarding and irritating on this report is the £44 million deficit in check charges, with the company merely not charging sufficient to cowl prices. NASP has been calling for a rise in each the speculation and sensible assessments since earlier than the check ready occasions disaster. We consider elevating check charges has the potential to extend the worth notion of the driving check (and a licence to drive) and make the sensible and idea check much less of a have-a-go merchandise. Rising the worth of driving assessments may additionally work as a ‘calming’ agent on excessive check demand (one other contributory issue to check backlogs) and stem the frenzy to e-book and take assessments too quickly.
We additionally welcome right now’s announcement of the brand new CEO at DVSA and hope that they may harness the findings of the NAO report back to develop and ship simpler and expedient methods to cut back driving check ready occasions. We additionally hope they take extra time to actually take heed to these on the coalface of this disaster, driver trainers who’ve firsthand expertise of the issues and essential insights into the potential options. NASP seems to be ahead to assembly with the brand new Chief Government.
Nonetheless, NASP are additionally pursuing an arguably extra essential assembly with the Minister of Transport. DfT has been criticised within the Audit Workplace report for being sluggish to react to the issues, and considerably neglecting DVSA within the early days of the check ready occasions points. Consequently, NAO advises the division to assessment its governance of DVSA. DfT senior management displaying a willingness to satisfy with the motive force coaching business will go a good distance in demonstrating actual concern for the impacts of the driving check supply debacle.
