Vow to cut ‘unacceptable' driving test wait times in half in 3 months despite some centres in country without examiners
MORE than 100,000 people are waiting to sit their driving test with road safety bosses promising to slash wait times in half by the end of the summer.
Executives from the Road Safety Authority were grilled by
1
Wait times will go down to ten weeks by September
Credit: Getty
At the moment, there are 102,000 learner drivers awaiting an appointment to sit their full driving test.
The authority has been ramping up its capabilities to carry out driving tests over recent years with 157,183 tests carried out in 2021 compared to 253,850 last year.
At the start of the year, learners were being forced to wait up to 27 weeks on average to sit their test.
READ MORE IN IRISH NEWS
This wait time has now been slashed to 20 weeks with the RSA promising to cut this wait to 10 weeks by September.
The RSA has rolled out its largest ever recruitment drive to beef up its tester numbers with 1,400 people applying to become testers.
Some 41 new testers have been recruited so far with 32 more currently undergoing training.
The RSA plans to recruit 18 more testers in the coming months to bring their full roster up to 200 testers across the country.
Most read in The Irish Sun
A number of test centres currently have no testers and will not have any until later this year – including Clifden in
RSA boss Sam Waide apologised to the public for the lengthy wait times for tests which he admitted were 'unacceptable.'
Louisiana Expands Distracted Driving Law: Social Media Posting While Driving Now Fined
He said: 'I want to acknowledge that, and to apologise to you and your constituents for that frustration from the outset.
'This is not a situation any of us consider acceptable and I welcome this dialogue as a chance to outline the actions we are taking to address these challenges and improve the service we provide to the public.'
The RSA also runs the NCT services with a backlog in tests this year resulting in people waiting up to two weeks for an appointment.
WEATHER WOES
RSA exec Sam Waide blamed the series of storms and cold
He said: 'This is driven by the fall out of closures during the service's busiest period in quarter one due to the red weather event and snowfall affecting the operational capacity of the service.
'Over the past month the service has been below the SLA of 12 days on several occasions and the service is expected to be at 12 days by the end of June.'
PROGRESS PROMISE
Chair of the Transport Committee Michael Murphy warned the RSA that the watchdog will be keeping a close eye on the progress that is made on cutting wait times for both driving tests and NCTs over the coming months.
He said: 'The RSA have said there are early indicators of progress, which will be welcome to many, but we need to see driving test waiting times below the target of 10 weeks.
'It's essential that the RSA are striving to get waiting times as short as possible.'
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Irish Sun
a day ago
- The Irish Sun
Best car for new drivers revealed as budget-friendly classic knocking premium motor off top spot
THE best car for new drivers has been revealed, taking the esteemed title away from the much loved Audi A1. Advertisement 4 The VW Golf has been crowned the best motor for new drivers Credit: Supplied 4 The Golf has been praised for its good value, safety, and stylish look Credit: Getty With the The BMW1 Series also narrowly missed the top spot, but by offering premium quality, plenty of space, a five-star Euro NCAP safety rating and low running costs, the Golf has a lot of appeal to Autotrader's Editorial Director Erin Baker, said: 'The Golf continues to prove its timeless versatility. 'It's the car of voice for new drivers looking for a fun, dependable set of first-time wheels that won't break the budget.' Advertisement Motors news The starting price of a new VW Golf is roughly £28,000, however they can be bought second hand for under £5,000. Beyond the Golf and Audi A1, other cars that have been proven popular among new drivers include the This year, over 225,000 people voted in the Driver's Choice Awards. Autotrader explained that each year they ask car owners to share what their car is like to live with to find out what the Advertisement Most read in Motors Exclusive Among the other motors recognised as the best to buy in 2025 were Kia's EV3, which was awarded the prestigious title of New Car of the Year, and the BMW I4, which was crowned Best Car for Families. Voters elected the Omoda 5 for Best Value Car, the Land Rover Defender 110 took the cake for Most Loved Car, and the Porsche Macan was chosen for the Most Fun Car to Drive. New Nissan Leaf tested - it's bigger, better and goes further In terms of the best brands in the business, Lexus was declared most reliable, Dacia was crowned the best value, and BYD was awarded the most loved. 4 The Audi A1 has been knocked off of the top spot Credit: Advertisement 4 The Golf has been dubbed reliable and very safe for new drivers Credit: Getty
The Irish Sun
a day ago
- The Irish Sun
Every driver in Britain must make vital car check as temperatures soar and heatwave ‘likely' this weekend
DRIVERS have been warned to make a vital car check as temperatures across the UK soar. The easy check can save you thousands and makes sure that your car won't overheat in the 3 One easy check on your car could save you thousands this summer Credit: Getty 3 The check is more important than ever when temperatures are higher Credit: Getty If your coolant levels are too low, then Vehicles don't actually use more coolant when the weather is hot, but overheat much more easily when the coolant is low. When refilling your coolant, your engine must be off - for your own safety. Then, fill the tank up to the "full" or "max" mark. Read More on Car News If your car overheats, the cost to repair it can be astronomical so this one easy check could save you a huge amount of money. In the event that your car does start overheating, you must pull over as soon as you can - when it is safe. Switch on your If possible, open your bonnet and take a big step back in case hot steam rushes out. Most read in Motors Finally, leave your car for 30 minutes to let the engine cool down. There are several other checks that can keep your car road-ready in the hot weather. Car expert urges drivers to do two maintenance checks before summer heat – 'quarter test' could save on a tow Tyre pressure can be affected by This can cause your tyre pressure to skyrocket, which comes with a host of issues. Not only does this increase the chance of tyre wear, but it can cause damage to your suspension - which is costly to repair. Some engine oils should also be replaced during periods of hot weather, if their viscosity will be affected by heat. The news comes as the UK braces for a heatwave which has already begun to smash records. Yesterday, Britain saw its hottest day of the year so far with In order to qualify as a heatwave, temperatures must be consistently reach a threshold temperature for at least three consecutive days. In the North and West of England, that temperature is 25C where it is 30C in the South. This weekend, meteorologists expect that the South East could see highs of a sweltering 33C, as the heatwave continues. Today, experts have warned that parts of the country could experience highs of 29C which has led thousands of Brits to flock to beaches across the country. 3 You may have to let your engine cool for half an hour, if it overheats Credit: Getty
The Irish Sun
2 days ago
- The Irish Sun
Britain's most popular car brand is launching groundbreaking hot hatch with 4-wheel drive & blistering 400bhp engine
BRITAIN'S most popular car brand has announced plans to create a groundbreaking new hot hatch. The 4-wheel drive car has a ferocious 400bhp engine, injecting some power into your drive, while 4 Volkswagen has announced plans for a brand new motor Credit: Getty 4 The vehicle will be a four-wheel drive Credit: Volkswagen AG 4 The ID 2 R will have a blistering 400bhp engine Credit: Volkswagen AG Volkswagen have become known over the years for their dependable motors and relaxed driving experience. Vehicles like the Volkswagen Golf have seen overhauls over the years but have largely remained similar with each new model. That model has allowed Volkswagen to become the UK's favourite car brand, selling 166,000 models in Britian in 2024. However, Read More on Car News Executives are exploring giving a green light to producing the high-performance ID 2 R. The car would be the brand's first model to use in-wheel motors and would come fitted with a blistering 400bhp engine. Having two additional electric hub motors, alongside the standard ones within the rear vehicles, will boost the cars performance - without sacrificing boot space. According to Most read in Motors It will also use dynamic drive modes, brake-based yaw control and predictive torque distribution. Volkswagen's R division hopes to ensure that the car remains light and responsive, despite the added weight. The hothatch would be going head-to-head with the Inside the Volkswagen ID When announcing the high-end vehicle, a spokesperson for the brand said: "In 1980, Renault 5 Turbo was the 1st French production car with a turbocharged petrol engine, delivering 160 hp. "In 2025, Renault 5 Turbo 3E gives the legend a boost with a dual 540 hp¹ electric powertrain and far superior performance. "Precision engineering, responsive handling, and next-generation innovation: the turbo spirit is back. 1,980 cars produced globally, with extreme customisation options, right down to tailor-made solutions from our designers." It is also an EV, meaning it emits far fewer emissions than most vehicles. Volkswagen have been approached for comment by The Sun. 4 Volkswagen is the UK's most popular car brand Credit: Getty
