Coronavirus: 950 driving tests cancelled after restrictions extended

One instructor said she was facing a pupil backlog of eight or nine months

About 950 practical driving tests have been cancelled in Northern Ireland due to the extension of coronavirus restrictions, the Department for Infrastructure has said.

Tests, which were cancelled with other "close contact services", will resume from 21 November.

Dundonald-based instructor Kay Bell said four of her pupils have had tests cancelled.

She said they were now "disappointed and extremely frustrated".

The examinations had resumed in Northern Ireland in September after they were initially cancelled due to the lockdown in March.

Tests and lessons were stopped again in October when the Northern Ireland Executive announced new restrictions to last for four weeks.

On Thursday, ministers voted to extend the measures.

The Department for Infrastructure said to provide capacity for those customers who have had tests cancelled, the DVA was creating "additional slots" in late November, December and January.

The DVA would make all of February's test slots exclusively available to these customers for a limited period, a spokesperson added.

'Knocks their confidence'

The practical test makes up part of the driving test, with learners also needing to pass a theory test to obtain their licence.

The Department for Infrastructure said the Driver & Vehicle Agency (DVA) had contacted about 950 customers on Friday who had tests scheduled between 14-20 November.

They were advised that "their test is being cancelled and their fee will be refunded", a spokesperson said.

"The DVA will be in contact with those customers again early next week with advice on how they can book a new driving test appointment."

The department added that 21 November was chosen "to give driving test candidates an opportunity to avail of some tuition in advance of their test".

Driving tests had resumed in September until the latest restrictions

Instructor Kay Bell told BBC News NI instructors were facing a pupil backlog of eight or nine months.

"Until tests can move out those pupils I cannot bring anyone in," she said.

"There's only so many hours in the day and there's only so much driving you can get done."

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Paul Scott, a driving instructor based in Belfast, said four of his pupils have had practical tests cancelled between 17 and 20 November.

One of them has had their test cancelled three times since April.

"They're not feeling too happy, they're pretty shocked; particularly as we've had that four-week gap so a lot of them are possibly a little bit rusty in their skills," he said.

"It demoralises them and knocks their confidence a bit, we will struggle to get them back up to speed again."

Mr Scott also said driving instructors were dealing with a "backlog" of pupils as it has been difficult "to push them through to the other side".

He said most instructors believed they could have continued work after taking precautions, such as the wearing of masks and gloves, and using hand sanitiser during lessons.

"We were doing everything we could do," he added.