{"id":1703,"date":"2015-11-30T09:00:00","date_gmt":"2015-11-30T09:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blog.booktheorytesttoday.com\/?p=1703"},"modified":"-0001-11-30T00:00:00","modified_gmt":"2015-11-24T19:47:15","slug":"learner-driver-driving-test-cancellations-kettering","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.booktheorytesttoday.com\/blog\/learner-driver-driving-test-cancellations-kettering\/","title":{"rendered":"Learner driver driving test cancellations \u00e2\u20ac\u201c Kettering"},"content":{"rendered":"

Following the recent driving examiners\u00e2\u20ac\u2122 strike, we hear of a number of learner driver driving test cancellations up and down the country. Where were learners hit hardest?<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

<\/span><\/p>\n

We start in Kettering, where learner driver driving test<\/strong><\/a> cancellations left many candidates incredibly frustrated. One miffed father, Francis Loughran, even contacted the county\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s regional newspaper, the Northamptonshire Telegraph, on behalf of his son to tell how his son\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s test had been cancelled at the Kettering test centre on Orion Way.<\/span><\/p>\n

Mr Loughran said: \u00e2\u20ac\u0153My son arrived at Kettering driving test centre at <\/span>9am, 60 minutes before his scheduled 10am test. He [my son] was told that all the driving instructors were on strike and that he\u00e2\u20ac\u2122d be unable to take his test. I found the whole situation farcical.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/span><\/p>\n

Learner driver driving test cancellations countrywide<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n

Learner driver driving test cancellations were not restricted to Kettering alone. According to the website of the Public and Commercial Services Union (PCSU), which represents nearly 1,600 DVSA staff,\u00c2\u00a0virtually no UK DVSA practical tests<\/strong><\/a> went ahead on the day of the strikes, which took place on November 19 and 20.<\/span><\/p>\n

The PCSU said that most of the driving test centres across the UK were closed on Thursday 19 and Friday 20 of November as examiners staged a walk out alongside other vehicle and traffic safety personnel in a dispute over working hours.<\/span><\/p>\n

In a statement published by the union on their website, they said: \u00e2\u20ac\u0153The DVSA is proceeding with plans to extend the working hours of staff and increase the number of driving tests that examiners would be expected to oversee.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/span><\/p>\n

The statement went on to say that changes to staff working hours could be in breach of current legislation for conducting a driving test in \u00e2\u20ac\u02dcgood daylight\u00e2\u20ac\u2122, citing that it would be impossible to carry out all driving tests in daylight hours during the winter months.<\/span><\/p>\n

Were you affected by learner driver driving test cancellations?<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n

If you were affected by the recent strikes, you\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re advised to contact the DVSA through your booking provider or directly. If Book Theory Test Today made a practical driving test booking<\/strong><\/a> on your behalf, please get in touch.<\/span><\/p>\n

However, you may hear from the DVSA first. They could contact you within five to 10 working days to reschedule your test if you were unable to take it due to the strike action.<\/span><\/p>\n

Book Theory Test Today says: \u00e2\u20ac\u0153You can claim out-of-pocket expenses if your test was cancelled. However, you must have turned up for your appointment. Details for making a claim can be found here<\/strong><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n

DVSA disappointed by strike action<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Interim chief executive of the DVSA, Paul <\/span>Satoor, was apologetic for the number of learner driver driving test cancellations. He said: \u00e2\u20ac\u0153We are sorry for the inconvenience this situation has caused. We\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re doing everything we can to minimise any disruption to customers.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/span><\/p>\n

However, he pointed the finger squarely at staff and the trade unions for the situation, saying: \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Staff had agreed to a new standard employment contract in April [2014] in exchange for a lump-sum payment, plus a three-year pay deal. This was agreed with the trade union, and was inclusive of transitional payments that ended on 1 November 2015.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u0153It\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s disappointing that the trade unions have now decided to oppose certain aspects of the contract,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Mr Satoor added.<\/span><\/p>\n

Need to rebook your DVSA practical driving test? Get in touch<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n

Book Theory Test Today offers an intermediary service assisting clients with booking a UK theory test, or practical test, at\u00c2\u00a0test centres<\/strong><\/a>\u00c2\u00a0across the nation. The service also supplies resources to help you prepare for your theory test \u00e2\u20ac\u201c Ready to take your theory test?\u00c2\u00a0<\/strong>Book your theory test online today<\/strong><\/a>\u00e2\u20ac\u00a6<\/span><\/p>\n

No. We\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re not affiliated with the DVSA or the gov.uk website, but that does not make us a scam. You\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re charged an admin fee to cover our staff costs and the process of booking a theory test or practical exam on your behalf.<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Following the recent driving examiners\u00e2\u20ac\u2122 strike, we hear of a number of learner driver driving test cancellations up and down the country. Where were learners hit hardest?<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":1704,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[71,2,9,74],"tags":[111,158,117,174,628,643,639,316,116,641,640,122,638,642,608,149,86,126],"class_list":["post-1703","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-book-practical-test","category-book-theory-test-today","category-book-theory-test-today-news","category-learning-to-drive","tag-book-theory-test-today-2","tag-book-your-theory-test","tag-book-your-theory-test-online","tag-book-your-theory-test-online-today","tag-driving-examiners-strike","tag-driving-test-booking","tag-driving-test-cancellations","tag-driving-test-centres","tag-dvsa","tag-dvsa-practical-tests","tag-kettering","tag-learner-driver","tag-learner-driver-driving-test-cancellations","tag-practical-driving-test-booking","tag-prepare-for-your-theory-test","tag-take-your-theory-test","tag-theory-test","tag-uk-theory-test"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.booktheorytesttoday.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1703","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.booktheorytesttoday.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.booktheorytesttoday.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.booktheorytesttoday.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.booktheorytesttoday.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1703"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.booktheorytesttoday.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1703\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.booktheorytesttoday.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1704"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.booktheorytesttoday.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1703"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.booktheorytesttoday.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1703"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.booktheorytesttoday.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1703"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}