Examiners strike over plan for extra test a day

Driving examiners are preparing to strike tomorrow and Tuesday after being asked to take one more test a day to cut the huge backlog caused by Covid.

With a Covid-induced backlog of about 440,000 tests, the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) wants examiners to take eight tests, instead of seven, each day. But their trade union believes this could lower standards and pose a safety risk.

Thousands of strike-affected learners who have waited months for a test face starting the process again and enduring another five-month wait.

Up to 1,000 members of the Public and Commercial Services Union (PCS) will take to picket lines tomorrow and Tuesday in protest. Staff at DVSA, headquartered in Bristol, claim the new approach to deal with the Covid backlog is unsafe and likely to lead to more failed tests.

They say fatigue levels are already high among staff, and they warn the new processes will increase the likelihood of accidents.

DVSA bosses originally tried to introduce the eight-test initiative, up from the current seven tests a day, in 2016.

An independent report has cited major problems with an extra test per day and said the proposals had led to a “breakdown in trust” with driving examiners.

The PCS argues that, rather than tackle the backlog, adding an extra test a day with less time to complete it will lead to more failed tests, therefore increasing the Covid backlog.

General secretary Mark Serwotka said: “Driving examiners are already working flat out and showing signs of fatigue on seven tests.

“It would be unsafe and, from the evidence of pilot studies, is likely to lead to more failed tests.

“Tackling the Covid backlog is important and recruiting more staff and offering voluntary overtime would help safely deal with the issue.”