“When the government relaxes its social-distancing measures, we will make sure we help you understand how this will affect DVSA’s services, your ability to return to work, and what it means for your pupils.”  Gareth Llewellyn, CEO, DVSA
The Approved Driving Instructors National Joint Council calls upon Mr Gareth Llewellyn, CEO of the DVSA, to deliver on what he said to driving instructors in his email of 22 April 2020.  On Sunday 10 May 2020, the government relaxed its social-distancing measures in England, and to date we have heard nothing from our industry regulator in regard to our ability to return to work.

Many instructors have candidates who have tests booked from the week commencing 22 June.  Having had no lessons for 8 weeks so far, these candidates will need lessons and time to prepare for those tests.  Many instructors have had little or no financial help from the Government, many have fallen through the cracks of the provision for the self-employed, many are still waiting for any payment, many are suffering financially and many will come out of this crisis with a large amount of debt.

We need to know please how much longer we have to wait for confirmation of the date that tests will resume and when we can safely return to work?

The Government website has a document entitled ‘Working safely during COVID-19 in or from a vehicle’.  This gives industry guidance on safe working practices for employers, employees and the self-employed when working in certain vehicles.

We respectfully ask our industry regulator to confirm whether or not this advice contained within the government document applies to driving instructors and if we may therefore return to work safely and without contravening any regulation or guidance?

Now is the time to deliver on your promise to us to help us understand how the easing of social-distancing measures affects our ability to return to work, and we call upon you to do so as a matter of urgency.

Kind regards

Lynne Barrie MA – ADINJC Chair

 

The above was sent to Gareth Llewellyn, CEO of the DVSA this morning.

 

 

 

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