The DVSA shambles continues...

The common response to a complete failure by Government Agency  starts with an apology and a press release containing the phrase "lessons will be learnt".

We shouldn't be surprised we've heard no apologies from the DVSA over its conduct, after all it's incapable of offering apologies at any other time, and it seems has learnt no lessons at all, following its shambles in March.

Following the start of the November lockdown it told English instructors that driver training should not take place, but even one of its NASP members now openly states there is "there is no specific reference to a restriction on driver or rider training" in the legislation. 

Is it legal to work or not?. We personally don't think its a good idea to be working, but we've no idea if it's actually legal and neither does it seem do the DVSA or NASP. 

Also during lockdown the DVSA appear to have lost the ability to publish its own Youtube videos. The latest video on changes to the Part 3 and Standards Check (which you would think would be of interest to most of the industry) which appear to have been filmed using DVSA staff on DVSA premises (and we assume indirectly paid for by the taxpayer) is only published by NASP.

Will the DVSA also be "working with" other organisations that represent ADIs who have paid to be on the register as well?

Then finally after the initial announcement from the DVSA that testing and training would resume on the 2nd of December, and the subsequent doubling down of that date when questioned, now a red faced the DVSA have to grudgingly admit they can't count 28 days and "following government clarification" (someone at Nottingham found a calculator) we're now all told that it's the 3rd of December after all. 

Yet again no apology from the DVSA though!

But don't worry because while Instructors are struggling, most of the DVSA staff in England will be having another month off on full pay.

Lets hope they get time use up any remaining leave entitlement before the end of the year though! -  or will they be allowed to carry any remaining days over into 2021? (I'll let you guess the answer to that one).

Meanwhile the clock is ticking for PDIs, many won't have been trading long enough to be entitled to financial assistance, have limited training opportunities due to lockdowns and trainers not carrying out 2:1 training so they can be observed delivering lessons, and having spent thousands in training and qualifying are facing the prospect of not being able to get three attempts in at Part 3 before the end of the two year period. The ever so helpful DVSA suggested last time that they'd still be able to get one attempt in if it was booked before the expiry of the two years.

Lets assume a PDI who hasn't been able to get training is effectively forced into a single attempt at Part 3, fails and then has to pay for the Part 1, Part 2, and then another 40 hours training to start again on a pink. This simply isn't good enough, but it's what we've come to expect from the DVSA! 

NASP aren't bothered either as PDIs are only a small part of their membership. 

 The only thing that will force change on the DVSA is a full independent enquiry. Pass this to as many instructors as you can so together we can make this happen!