A LOCAL councillor has welcomed a government pledge to tackle the nationwide backlog of practical driving tests.
But Councillor Dr Zahid Chauhan OBE says he will continue to hold ministers to account until residents see real change.
The Alexandra ward councillor received a response from the Minister for Roads and Buses, Simon Lightwood MP, following a call for urgent action on behalf of frustrated learner drivers struggling to book test slots.
In his letter, the minister acknowledged the widespread difficulties faced by learners and outlined a series of measures aimed at improving access to tests.
These include recruiting 450 new driving examiners, expanding training capacity, delivering an additional 10,000 tests per month, and clamping down on “bots” and third-party resellers that snap up appointments for profit.
Cllr Chauhan said: “I would like to thank the minister for taking the time to look into this matter and for acknowledging the very real challenges faced by learner drivers across Oldham and the wider country.
“Learning to drive is a key milestone that opens doors to employment, education and independence and delays of several months are causing serious hardship for many families.
“I welcome the steps being taken by the Department for Transport and the DVSA to increase capacity and restore fairness to the system. However, I will continue to monitor the situation closely and will not hesitate to raise these concerns again if progress is not made.
“My commitment remains to the residents who have contacted me in frustration and despair, and I will keep pressing for improvements until real change is seen.”
In his original letter, Cllr Chauhan had raised concerns from constituents unable to secure tests for months, warning that “third-party companies and automated systems are exploiting the system to buy and resell test slots, at a disadvantage to genuine learners.”
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