Driving Test (Hansard, 4 April 1985)

§ Mr. Waller
asked the Secretary of State for Transport what is the current waiting time for a driving test at the Bradford, Keighley and Skipton test centres.

§ Mrs. Chalker
There are three driving test centres serving Bradford, and Skipton is an occasional centre served from Keighley. The information is as follows:

Test centre Waiting time as at 29 March (latest available date) Weeks

Bradford (Brownroyd Hill road) 21

Bradford (Victoria road) 24

Bradford (Farfield street) 18

Keighley/Skipton 23

Waiting times for driving tests are for too high and the Department is recruiting and training new examiners as quickly as possible to reduce them to reasonable levels.

Table 1

Taxation Revenue and Public Road Costs, 1985–86—United Kingdom

Vehicle category Vehicle numbers Estimated Taxation Revenue Costs attributed Revenue to cost ratios

VED Fuel tax Total Car tax Total (including car tax) Revenue (excluding car tax) minus costs Excluding car tax Including car tax

000s £ million £ million £ million £ million £ million £ million £ million

Cars, light vans, taxis 19,308 1,975 5,075 7,050 760 7,810 2,145 4,905 3.3:1 3.6:1

Buses and coaches 73 5 ^*165 170 — 170 185 -15 0.9:1 0.9:1

Goods vehicles 152S Kg unladen:

Not over 3.5 tonnes GVW and non-plateable vehicles 119 15 30 45 — 45 15 30 2.7:1 2.7:1

Over 3.5 tonnes GVW 450 435 835 1,265 — 1,265 1,035 230 1.2:1 1.2:1

All vehicles 19,950 2,430 6,100 8,530 760 9,290 3,380 5,150 2.5:1 2.7:1

245 Pedestrians

30 Motor-cyclists

3,655

^* Fuel tax rebate on stage services (£115 million) not deducted.

738W

§ 1985. Mr. Watson
asked the Secretary of State for Transport what was the average length of waiting time experienced by driving test applicants between the receipt of their applications and the date of their tests, in January for each of the following years (a) 1979, (b) 1980, (c) 1981, (d) 1982, (e) 1983, (f) 1984 and (g)

§ Mrs. Chalker
The figures were:

Mid-January National (Weeks) North Eastern Traffic Area (Leeds) (Weeks)

1979 22 24½

1980 26 21½

1981 19 16½

1982 11½ 7

1983 9 3½

1984 10½ 5½

1985 15½ 18½

Examiners are being recruited to bring the waits down to acceptable levels.

Test centre	Waiting time as at 29 March (latest available date) Weeks
Bradford (Brownroyd Hill road)	21
Bradford (Victoria road)	24
Bradford (Farfield street)	18
Keighley/Skipton	23

Table 1
Taxation Revenue and Public Road Costs, 1985–86—United Kingdom
Vehicle category	Vehicle numbers	Estimated Taxation Revenue	Costs attributed		Revenue to cost ratios
		VED	Fuel tax	Total	Car tax	Total (including car tax)		Revenue (excluding car tax) minus costs	Excluding car tax	Including car tax
	000s	£ million	£ million	£ million	£ million	£ million	£ million	£ million
Cars, light vans, taxis	19,308	1,975	5,075	7,050	760	7,810	2,145	4,905	3.3:1	3.6:1
Buses and coaches	73	5	^*165	170	—	170	185	-15	0.9:1	0.9:1
Goods vehicles 152S Kg unladen:
Not over 3.5 tonnes GVW and non-plateable vehicles	119	15	30	45	—	45	15	30	2.7:1	2.7:1
Over 3.5 tonnes GVW	450	435	835	1,265	—	1,265	1,035	230	1.2:1	1.2:1
All vehicles	19,950	2,430	6,100	8,530	760	9,290	3,380	5,150	2.5:1	2.7:1
							245	Pedestrians
							30	Motor-cyclists
							3,655
^* Fuel tax rebate on stage services (£115 million) not deducted.

Mid-January	National (Weeks)	North Eastern Traffic Area (Leeds) (Weeks)
1979	22	24½
1980	26	21½
1981	19	16½
1982	11½	7
1983	9	3½
1984	10½	5½
1985	15½	18½