DVLA delays condemn drivers to 10-week jam for licence renewals

More than 60 MPS write to Transport Secretary demanding ‘urgent action’ and warning of job losses

HALF a million drivers have waited at least two and a half months for their driving licence due to DVLA delays.

Despite promises that the agency is clearing the backlog, average waiting times for many paper applications has increased in recent months.

The DVLA has warned since July that applications, renewals and changes are taking six to 10 weeks to process. But data obtained under the Freedom of Information Act shows that more than 500,000 waited longer than that.

People caught in the backlog risk losing jobs, while holidays and funerals abroad have been missed. Elderly drivers renewing have been badly affected, with some reporting waiting times of eight months. More than 60 MPS have written to Grant Shapps, the Transport Secretary, calling for him to take “urgent action”.

The letter warned that delays have reached a level where some “face losing employment over a lack of certainty on when they will legally be able to drive”.

The MPS said their constituents also faced “severe delays” getting identity documents back, which resulted in people being unable to travel abroad.

Sarah Olney, MP for Richmond Park, said the impact was widespread, and action was needed now so “constituents can have their lives back”. Delays have largely been blamed on the pandemic and on industrial action by the union.

DVLA data shows that in July, when the information was first published, the longest average wait for those who had submitted a paper application to renew their licence was eight weeks.

This week they were processing paper applications for renewals, including for the over-70s, and applications to change a name or address on a driving licence, from 11 weeks ago.

The DVLA said the waiting times had increased because the NHS had lifted a pause on providing information – put in place as it focused on the pandemic – and a period of extension given to licence expiry dates had ended, resulting in many more applications.

Despite drivers being warned that it will take up to 10 ten weeks to process their applications, data released to the Telegraph showed that, as of the beginning of September, 517,881 paper applications had taken longer than 10 weeks or were still outstanding. On the same date there were 185,385 applications requiring a medical decision that were over 10 weeks old.

The DVLA said: “We have recruited more staff, increased overtime and secured extra office space in Swansea and Birmingham to reduce waiting times. We are issuing around 200,000 driving licences each week.

“There are no delays with our online services.”