• Contact us
  • About us
  • Digital edition
  • Online archive
Monday, June 2, 2025
Social icon element need JNews Essential plugin to be activated.
Cumberland and Westmorland Herald
  • News
    142178

    Multiple fire crews tackle roof fire in Crosby Ravensworth

    142165

    Free domestic abuse support drop-in service launches in Penrith

    142123

    Penrith bar relaunched with vibrant events planned

    142119

    Penrith Beacon access closed after vandalism

    142011

    Fire crews spend six hours tackling blaze at timber firm’s headquarters

    141750

    £15 million luxury care home plans for Penrith

    141382

    Changes to business rates

    141490

    Tesco Express opens doors in Penrith

    141441

    Nursing award for Penrith’s Fay Dudson

  • Sport
    142126

    Penrith teen crowned British vault champion

    141451

    Penrith gymnasts represent North of England in finals

    141095

    New boss revealed for Penrith AFC

    141045

    Penrith Panthers celebrate winning season

    139837

    Darren Edmondson leaves Penrith AFC

    137888

    Lucy plays key role in county T20 triumph

    136783

    Gold for Keith in annual festival of orienteering

    136081

    Cumberland and Westmorland wrestlers head to European championships

    133324

    Kirkby Stephen Hockey Club win league title

  • Obituaries
  • Nostalgia
  • Online archive
  • Buy Photos
  • Buy your paper
  • North Lakes Living
No Result
View All Result
Cumberland and Westmorland Herald
  • News
    142178

    Multiple fire crews tackle roof fire in Crosby Ravensworth

    142165

    Free domestic abuse support drop-in service launches in Penrith

    142123

    Penrith bar relaunched with vibrant events planned

    142119

    Penrith Beacon access closed after vandalism

    142011

    Fire crews spend six hours tackling blaze at timber firm’s headquarters

    141750

    £15 million luxury care home plans for Penrith

    141382

    Changes to business rates

    141490

    Tesco Express opens doors in Penrith

    141441

    Nursing award for Penrith’s Fay Dudson

  • Sport
    142126

    Penrith teen crowned British vault champion

    141451

    Penrith gymnasts represent North of England in finals

    141095

    New boss revealed for Penrith AFC

    141045

    Penrith Panthers celebrate winning season

    139837

    Darren Edmondson leaves Penrith AFC

    137888

    Lucy plays key role in county T20 triumph

    136783

    Gold for Keith in annual festival of orienteering

    136081

    Cumberland and Westmorland wrestlers head to European championships

    133324

    Kirkby Stephen Hockey Club win league title

  • Obituaries
  • Nostalgia
  • Online archive
  • Buy Photos
  • Buy your paper
  • North Lakes Living
No Result
View All Result
Cumberland and Westmorland Herald
No Result
View All Result
Home Latest

Learner drivers face up to five-month wait for driving test in Cumbria

by CWH
29 November 2022
in Latest, News
A A
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

Learner drivers are waiting up to six months to book a test in Cumbria, latest figures show.

The coronavirus pandemic saw waiting times at driving test centres across Great Britain shoot up, as tests were halted during successive lockdowns.

There are four practical test centres in Cumbria.

New figures from the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency, obtained by RADAR through a freedom of information request, show that learners were waiting 24 weeks to take their driving test at Barrow testing centre as of the end of March – far exceeding the Government’s six-week target.

In Workington, learners were waiting 20 weeks, Carlisle 14 weeks and in Kendal, there was only a one week backlog.

As of the end of March, more than 500,000 people were waiting for a test across Britain – seven times the 70,000 waiting in March 2020, and up from 372,000 last year.

The number of people waiting by test centre was not available.

Head of roads policy at the RAC, Nicholas Lyes, said: “There’s little doubt the pandemic has had an impact on practical driving test backlogs, though we’re encouraged that the DVSA is taking steps to get on top of this including offering overtime for instructors, as well as making tests available on weekends and over public holidays.

“The figures powerfully demonstrate the continuing strong demand from younger people to get their full driving licence, given the opportunities and freedom that comes with driving.”

Across Britain, 123 driving test centres had waits of at least six months as of March – 38 per cent of the country’s 324 testing sites.

Meanwhile, 43 sites (13 per cent) had waiting times of less than a month.

The DVSA said that it had since cut down waiting times, with 23 per cent of test centres now having a wait of 24 weeks, and a further 23 per cent within the target of six weeks as of November – although it could not provide figures on which centres had improved.

Chief executive of the DVSA, Loveday Ryder, said that it had taken swift action to tackle the impact of the pandemic.

However, she added that more than half of learners are still failing their tests and urged them to check the Ready to Pass checklist available on the DVSA website.

Separate analysis by the RAC shows that more than 50,000 tests in the 12 months to March were taken by people who had already failed their test five times or more.

It said this may be driving up the backlog, as inexperienced learners take any test available for fear of missing out on a slot later on.

No Result
View All Result
Cumberland and Westmorland Herald Logo

33 Middlegate
Penrith
Cumbria
CA11 7SY

Phone: 01768 862313
Email: news@cwherald.com

Registered in England as Barrnon Media Limited. No: 12475190
VAT registration number: 343486488

Explore

  • News
  • Sport
  • Farming
  • Property
  • Obituaries
  • Nostalgia
  • Your view

Useful links

  • Contact us
  • Photosales
  • Online archive
  • Buy your paper
  • Digital edition
  • North Lakes Living
  • Advertise
  • About us

Follow us on

© Barrnon Media Limited 2020

Terms & Conditions / Privacy Policy / Cookie Policy

This website and its associated newspaper are members of the Independent Press Standards Organisation
IPSO Logo
Review Your Cart
0
Discount
Add Coupon Code
Subtotal
Total Installment Payments
Bundle Discount
Checkout

 
0
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
  • Sport
  • Obituaries
  • Nostalgia
  • Online archive
  • more
    • North Lakes Living
    • Buy Photos
    • Buy your paper
    • About us
    • Contact us

© 2020 Cumberland & Westmorland Herald