Our Open Letter to the Transport Secretary

We’ve experienced many challenges within the driving industry: some we’ve overcome, some we’re still adapting to, and others we’re trying to resolve for the benefit of our profession, our drivers, our learners, and overall road safety.

Since our last industry conference, our members have brought to light many issues burdening their businesses. From a shortage of driving instructors and long driving test waiting times to increased fuel prices and delays in qualifying PDIs, we knew it was time to air our concerns via an open, honest letter to the Secretary of State for Transport, Louise Haigh.

Industry Issues Brought Forward

Although there are many conversations to be had on how to improve our industry and protect our driving instructors, we focused on eight core points:

  1. The impact of increasing driving test waiting times
  2. Delays in ADI qualifications
  3. The increased costs to PDIs due to these delays
  4. Driver training improvements
  5. Lack of ORDIT examiners
  6. Introducing new legislation and processes
  7. Training all ADIs to be Road Safety Professionals
  8. Boosting morale within the industry.

Our Purpose and Desired Results

Our primary aim is to have our voices heard by those who can influence change. Although we have yet to receive a reply from Louise Haigh, we have passed our thoughts and letter to our local MP, Lilian Greenwood. We’ve extended an invitation to our next industry conference to Louise and Lilian, hoping they will attend and meet our members to discuss our concerns and form an effective solution.

To enhance our plight, we believe now is an excellent time for all ADINJC members, as well as others within our profession, to write to their local MPs. It is only by combining our voices that we can strengthen them and make them more inclined to be heard. Together, we can bring positive change to our industry and build safer roads for all.

Feel free to share your letters with us. Our letter to Louise Haigh follows below:

Dear Lilian Greenwood

I sent the below to Louise Haigh a few weeks ago, but to date have had no response. We do, however, recognise that she may have been a little busy as she settles in to her new role.

I am writing to you as President of the Approved Driving Instructors National Joint Council (ADINJC) which is a leading national driving instructor association in the UK, representing many members from the industry. Our members represent all areas of driver training, teaching essential life skills to many people, not only learner drivers but buses, coaches, lorries and the armed forces. The profession as a whole currently has approximately 42,000 government-licensed instructors (ADIs) and approximately 8,600 potential driving instructors (PDIs) in the qualifying process.

We would like to take this opportunity to congratulate you on your new appointment and hope we will be able to have a meaningful and constructive relationship with your department.

There are a number of issues of great concern to our industry currently, which our members would like me to draw your attention to:

  • The waiting times for learner driving tests in many parts of the country where candidates have to wait 6 months for a test booking. This started as a backlog from COVID but has not improved in the 2 years since, in spite of efforts by DVSA. This has resulted in a black market, which we know is charging as much as £350 for a £62 test, and ADIs are unable to acquire tests for their pupils. This has been highlighted in numerous recent television and other media articles, including the Guardian: ‘They have you over a barrel’: how scammers, touts and bots took over driving tests | Motoring | The Guardian
  • In an attempt to reduce these waiting times, DVSA redeployed senior examiners from the qualifying test process to learner tests for a period of 6 months. This has resulted in lengthy waiting times for PDIs, which has meant they have needed more training, often at additional and vast costs to themselves. Some have even run out of their 2 years to qualify through no fault of their own because tests were unavailable, and this 2 years time limit is set in legislation.
  • When ADIs qualify they should then receive a Standards Check to assess their continued ability to instruct, initially within the first 12 months of qualifying, and then once every 4 years. Many members tell us that they qualified over 4 years ago, and have still not received one, and other established ADIs have not received a check for over 7 years. If standards of driver training are to be improved and maintained this has to be rectified.
  • There is a voluntary register for trainers of PDIs and ADIs, called ORDIT, which we consider should be mandatory. Currently no-one new can enter ORDIT and no-one is being re-assessed due to the lack of examiners.
  • This industry needs new legislation to be allowed, especially in the qualification process, as it desperately needs changes, including the paperwork and marking sheets which are outdated and irrelevant to the current process.
  • The cost of a theory and practical driving test has remained unchanged for many years. The practical test fee last changed in 2009 when it increased to £62. We believe a significant increase is warranted and that this would help to deter candidates from just “having a go” and would encourage them to take it with the seriousness it deserves.
  • We are concerned at the vast number of examiners who are leaving the DVSA as morale amongst them seems to be at an all-time low. We consider this is at least in part to their remuneration and working contracts.

Our radical suggestion for a solution to the above problems would be to separate DVSA from the legislative constraints they are currently operating under. An independent business would be able to increase the price of driving tests without it being a statutory requirement and solve other issues mentioned above.

ADINJC considers that all ADIs are road safety professionals and for this reason the ADINJC has added its support to the recent PACTS (Parliamentary Advisory Council for Transport Safety) Road Safety Manifesto. It outlines four strategic priorities for the government aimed at revolutionising road safety and significantly reducing fatalities and serious injuries on UK roads.

  • Develop and commit to a National Road Safety Strategy with targets focusing on prevention, protection, and post-collision response.
  • Establish a Road Safety Investigation Branch to learn from incidents and prevent future tragedies as we already do in the rail, aviation and maritime sectors.
  • Introduce Graduated Driver Licencing to support young drivers through their transition to independent driving.
  • Adopt the latest Vehicles Safety Regulations, as will apply across the EU in 2024, to mandate fitting as standard proven safety technologies for vehicles sold in the UK.

ADINJC holds a large industry conference and expo each year in partnership with Intelligent Instructor, where in 2023 we had over 900 instructors attending, and are expecting more this year. It is being held at Newark Showground, Nottinghamshire on Sunday 29th September where you would be most welcome to attend and speak.

Please contact me if you need any further information on any of the above.

Yours faithfully,

Lynne Barrie
President