Galway Bay FM Newsroom - Sinn Féin TD for Roscommon/Galway Claire Kerrane has asked the Road Safety Authority to consider establishing a temporary Driver Test Centre in Ballinasloe given the increasing backlog for driving tests due to Covid-19.
The waiting list for driving tests at the end of January stood at over 92,000 people nationally with 3,967 of that number in Galway City and County.
Deputy Kerrane argues that Ballinasloe is perfectly located given the ample space at the NCT centre and added that consultation was needed with between the Department of Transport and Approved Driving Instructors and their trade unions to design a roadmap that will allow them to resume driving tests in a safe manner.
Kerrane said:
"The Road Safety Authority have been seeking a number of actions from Government in order to assist them to meet demand when it comes to the growing waiting lists for driving tests.
"Last October, the RSA sought permission to hire 80 additional testers. Despite this, approval for just 40 has been granted but they are still not in position. This shows clearly that the Government are not taking this issue seriously.
"The Department of Transport needs to be proactive when it comes to tackling the waiting list for driving tests which as of the end of January this year stood at over 92,000 people with 3,967 of them waiting in Galway City and County.
"Ballinasloe is perfectly located to assist in reducing the backlog of waiting lists for driving tests and not just for those in Galway. There is ample space at the current NCT Centre and I have asked the RSA to look at this.
"We also need to see consultation between the Department of Transport and Approved Driving Instructors and their trade unions to design a roadmap that will allow them to resume driving tests in a safe manner.
"For people living in rural areas particularly, having a driver licence is absolutely essential for day to day life. I am also conscious of the many young people who without a licence are stranded in many ways especially those who have finished school and are seeking work or study."
