Wicklow Sinn Fein TD John Brady has expressed concern at the ongoing long waiting times for driver tests in Wicklow, while also welcoming measures he has been pushing for which are now being implemented by the Road Safety Authority to tackle the backlog.
The latest figures show that in Wicklow there are 771 people waiting on an invitation to book a test, and a further 411 who have received a test date but are still waiting to sit their test. In the Dun Laoghaire and Deansgrange test centre, where many people from North Wicklow take their test, there are 4,671 people waiting for an invitation and another 1,325 with a date who are still waiting for the test itself.
John said, “The wait time to receive a test date is currently 14 weeks in Wicklow and 20 weeks in Dun Laoghaire and Deansgrange. This is only to get a date, and there is then a further wait for the test itself. While there has been some improvement, these delays are still far too long and are the direct result of years of under-resourcing and poor planning by the government.”
He has consistently called for increased testing capacity, and welcomed the announcement that longer testing hours will now be introduced, including evenings, weekends and bank holidays. The RSA will also increase overtime arrangements for testers to help meet demand.
“These are measures that I and my Sinn Féin colleagues have pushed for over a long period of time, and it is positive to see them being rolled out,” John continued.
“However, the reality is that waiting times remain unsustainably long. I will continue to monitor the situation closely and keep the pressure on to ensure there is further increased capacity and resources so that people are not left waiting months on end for a test that they need to get to work, education or other essential commitments.”