Driving tests: 1,000 exams cancelled in six months across Midland centres
More than 1,000 driving tests were cancelled due to examiner sickness, annual leave or bad weather in just six months, new figures reveal.
Examiners taking holidays meant some learners from Staffordshire, the Black Country and Birmingham were forced to re-arrange tests after booking them.
Dozens more tests have been called off due to examiners being off sick or for other medical reasons such as physiotherapy appointments.
Latest figures show a total of 1,100 HGV and car driving tests were postponed during the period at centres at Cannock, Featherstone, Birmingham Kingstanding, Lichfield, Lower Gornal, Stafford, Wednesbury and Wolverhampton between April 1 and September 30, 2016.
In total, 564 tests were postponed at Birmingham Kingstanding, which is often used by learner drivers from Sandwell, and 166 at Featherstone.
At Wolverhampton 105 were called off while 101 were cancelled at Wednesbury and 73 at Lower Gornal.
At Stafford, 52 tests had to be postponed between April and August, 2016, and 33 booked in at Lichfield between May and September last year didn't go ahead.
Six were also cancelled at Cannock.
Tests can be cancelled due to bad weather or poor light by the test centre manager after they have checked the condition of the test routes and decided if it's safe to conduct exams in weather conditions such as snow, ice, fog and wind.
The decision to cancel practical driving tests will then be taken by the driving test centre manager after discussion with their area operational manager.
The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency said it could not comment on employment procedures relating to examiner sickness or leave.
DVSA Head of Operations, Peter Hearn, said: "DVSA recognise that short notice cancellations are very disappointing for our customers and we work to ensure that tests can go ahead wherever possible."
"However, we can't conduct tests in dangerous weather conditions as we have to consider the safety of candidates and staff.
"If candidates have concerns about weather conditions on the day of their test, they should follow the advice on their appointment confirmation."
A weekday driving test costs £62 but learners have to pay £75 if they want to take it at the weekend or on a Bank Holiday.
If a test is cancelled, then it will automatically be re-booked for the next available date with the wait depending on how busy the centre is.
Learner drivers can apply for a refund of out-of-pocket expenses, if the DVSA cancels a test at short notice for a non-weather related reason.
During the six month period, 5,447 tests were conducted at Birmingham Kingstanding, 4,634 at Wolverhampton, 4,462 at Lower Gornal, 3,451 at Lichfield, 3,194 at Wednesbury, 2,352 at Featherstone, 1,354 at Stafford and 706 at Cannock.
