{"id":64097,"date":"2015-11-13T10:50:29","date_gmt":"2015-11-13T10:50:29","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/mostafa.openonline.co.uk\/?guid=069ff7061f795dca84b7b5529d8c0cd0"},"modified":"2015-11-13T10:50:29","modified_gmt":"2015-11-13T10:50:29","slug":"news-story-a-driving-test-fit-for-the-21st-century","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/mostafa.openonline.co.uk\/?p=64097","title":{"rendered":"News story: A driving test fit for the 21st century"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"govspeak\">\n<div class=\"call-to-action\">\n<ul>\n<li>biggest shake up of the driving test in a generation<\/li>\n<li>proposals for a \u2018cashback\u2019 incentive for the driving test, introducing in a deposit which is returned to the driver if they pass, encouraging learner drivers to take their test when they are ready<\/li>\n<li>government wants to hear your views on how to improve the service offered by <abbr title=\"Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency\">DVSA<\/abbr> and <abbr title=\"Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency\">DVLA<\/abbr>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<p>The Department for Transport (<abbr title=\"Department for Transport\">DfT<\/abbr>) has launched proposals to improve the driving test as part of a wide ranging review of motoring services in Great Britain.<\/p>\n<p>Only 21% of driving tests result in a first time pass. The majority of tests are repeat examinations.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"image embedded\">\n<div class=\"img\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Infographic explaining 21% of driving tests result in a first time pass.\" src=\"https:\/\/assets.digital.cabinet-office.gov.uk\/government\/uploads\/system\/uploads\/image_data\/file\/46237\/learn-driver-passes-21.jpg\"><\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<h2 id=\"reduced-driving-test-fee\">Reduced driving test fee<\/h2>\n<p>Under the new proposals the driving test fee would be reduced by requiring learner drivers to pay a deposit when they take their test, which they get back if they pass.<\/p>\n<p>This will help make sure learner drivers are:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>better prepared for taking their test and driving independently<\/li>\n<li>less likely to have an accident in the months following the test<\/li>\n<li>taking their test when they are ready and confident of passing<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2 id=\"an-incentive-to-be-prepared\">An incentive to be prepared<\/h2>\n<p>Transport Secretary Patrick McLoughlin said:<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p>We want to make learning to drive safer and more affordable. This change will give those who pass first time some money back and provide an incentive for learners to be more prepared before they take their test. These common sense proposals mean that all learner drivers can feel the benefit.<\/p>\n<p class=\"last-child\">This consultation is a really important step and we want to hear all views.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>Steve Gooding director of the <abbr title=\"Royal Automobile Club\">RAC<\/abbr> Foundation said:<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p class=\"last-child\">We support measures that will encourage learner drivers to get the experience they need to pass their test first time with flying colours, rather than barely scraping through or failing and having to repeat the process a few months down the road at yet more expense.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<h2 id=\"improving-road-safety-and-increasing-efficiency\">Improving road safety and increasing efficiency<\/h2>\n<p>The consultation also sets out proposals to:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>introduce more driving test appointment times, including weekends and evenings <\/li>\n<li>offer tests from a range of venues<\/li>\n<li>review fees for all services provided by motoring agencies <\/li>\n<li>change providers for some services<\/li>\n<li>combine services at motoring agencies <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>The consultation is part of the government\u2019s ongoing work to streamline public services and save the taxpayer money.<\/p>\n<p><a rel=\"external\" href=\"https:\/\/youtu.be\/NbXG7I1wHXI\">A driving test fit for the 21st century<\/a><\/p>\n<h2 id=\"putting-users-at-the-heart-of-services\">Putting users at the heart of services<\/h2>\n<p>Transport Minister Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon said:<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p>This is a bold and ambitious approach aimed at putting the user at the heart of everything the motoring agencies do.<\/p>\n<p>They provide a valuable public service, from issuing driving licences to taking dangerous vehicles off our roads and I want to make sure they are able to operate in the most effective way.<\/p>\n<p class=\"last-child\">These proposals are about modernising customer services and improving road safety, particularly for younger drivers, and I want to hear all views.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<h2 id=\"reducing-the-shortage-of-lorry-drivers\">Reducing the shortage of lorry drivers<\/h2>\n<p>The consultation will also look at ways to reduce the shortage of large goods vehicle (<abbr title=\"large goods vehicle\">LGV<\/abbr>) drivers. This is one of the largest issues facing the haulage industry today. Streamlining the application process and improving information sharing between agencies could help <abbr title=\"large goods vehicle\">LGV<\/abbr> drivers with the required qualifications to obtain their licence and start work sooner.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"have-your-say-on-improving-services\">Have your say on improving services<\/h2>\n<div class=\"call-to-action\">\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.gov.uk\/government\/consultations\/motoring-services-strategy-a-strategic-direction-2016-to-2020\">Give your views on the proposals<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>The consultation will close on 8 January 2016 and <abbr title=\"Department for Transport\">DfT<\/abbr> will respond in due course. <\/p>\n<div class=\"contact \" id=\"contact_1018\">\n<div class=\"content\">\n<h3>Roads media enquiries<\/h3>\n<div class=\"vcard contact-inner\">\n<div class=\"email-url-number\">\n<p class=\"tel\">\n              <span class=\"type\">Press enquiries<\/span><br \/>\n              020 7944 3066\n            <\/p>\n<p class=\"tel\">\n              <span class=\"type\">Out of hours<\/span><br \/>\n              020 7944 4292\n            <\/p>\n<p class=\"tel\">\n              <span class=\"type\">Public enquiries<\/span><br \/>\n              0300 330 3000\n            <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>New proposals to improve the driving test including incentives to be better prepared form part of a consultation launched by government today.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":8,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[13],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/mostafa.openonline.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/64097"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/mostafa.openonline.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/mostafa.openonline.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mostafa.openonline.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/8"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mostafa.openonline.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=64097"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/mostafa.openonline.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/64097\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/mostafa.openonline.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=64097"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mostafa.openonline.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=64097"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mostafa.openonline.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=64097"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}