The Public and Commercial Services Union voted in favour of strike action and an overtime ban.

General secretary Mark Serwotka said: “These cuts, which will see loyal civil and public servants lose tens of thousands of pounds if they are forced out of a job, are more about crude politicking than making savings.

“We have suggested ways in which the Government can make these savings whilst protecting the rights of existing members, yet it seems intent on penalising the people who keep this country running.”

Changes to redundancy and compensation agreements will see staff lose entitlements and redundancy pay.  Further strike dates may be finalised when the union’s national executive committee meet next week.

Candidates with driving tests booked for either the 8th or 9th March should contact the DSA on 0300 200 1122 for further guidance.

This is resulting in the need for all provisional test candidates to take their theory test pass certificate information with them to the driving test centre for the examiner’s inspection before conducting the practical test.

Driving tests have been refused and cancelled as a result of a candidate not having these documents for inspection, despite the request to do so in the practical test application literature.  For full details on what you need to take with you to the test centre, click here. This video gives you full information on the practical driving test:

Please ensure you take the correct documentation with you!

A meeting was held at DSA’s Headquarters with ADI representative organisations on 24^th September 2009. At the meeting, the DSA responded to the objections raised by ADI’s and ADI organisations to the original proposal of making it mandatory for supervising drivers to accompany candidates on all driving tests.

DSA Chief Executive Rosemary Thew explained that the DSA had reflected on the points raised.  Chief Operating Manager Brian Gilhooley read out the following statement:

“The proposal that candidates should be required to take an observer with them on their practical car driving test from October 2010 has generated a great deal of debate. DSA has received comments from a variety of stakeholders and has met with the ADI Consultative Groups and the Public and Commercial Services Union (PCS). We have listened carefully to all the views expressed. We remain convinced that an observer sitting in on test will enhance the learning process, which, in turn, will provide road safety benefits. We recognise, however, that there are valid reasons why an approach based on education and incentivisation might be preferable to mandating through regulation at this stage.

“So this is the approach we suggest: at the start of the test, driving examiners will ask all candidates if they would like their driving instructor (or another observer, such as a parent, guardian or friend who has taught the candidate to drive) to sit in on their test. The examiner will then ask the candidate if they would like their instructor be present for the test result and debrief. This will allow candidates to take advantage of the opportunities available to support their ongoing learning and development, but will leave the final decision with them.

“From the feedback received on this issue we also recognise that a full review of the minimum test vehicle (MTV) for Cat B tests should be carried out. However, a mandatory change to the MTV would be a long process and we want you to work with us on this. In the meantime, we will seek to develop a set of guidelines to help to deal with the health and safety issues raised by some of the vehicles now in use. This will ensure that we can continue to maintain the integrity of the test through quality assurance and check testing.

“We want to work in partnership with the driver training profession to help candidates get the most from their training and from their practical test experience. We want candidates to understand that driving instructors and driving examiners are professional experts working together to help them to be safe and responsible drivers with the overall aim of improving road safety.

“We hope that you will work with us to support and promote this approach by encouraging your members to always:

• observe their pupils’ tests

• listen to the examiner’s debrief, to help inform their pupils’ ongoing learning and development

• display their ADI badge on test.

“We would value your response to this proposal. The choice remains with the candidate and this will be explained to them in all correspondence relating to their driving test. We know that many ADIs already accompany candidates and make themselves available for the debrief. Displaying the ADI badge will still be voluntary.”

At Latics, we already encourage our instructors accompany their pupils on test if the pupil wishes them to.  The assessment nature of the driving test at the moment means that candidates normally only get feedback on what went wrong on their test from the examiner whether they pass or fail .  Hearing from the instructor what they did well on the test goes a long way to restoring confidence for when they drive for the first time on the road alone.

According to the Romford & Havering Post, Cara cruised through her driving test first time with only five minor driving faults, observed by two examiners from the Hornchurch Test Centre.

She was presented with her driving test pass certificate and was so pleased that she immediately phoned family and friends to tell them her fantastic news. But Cara’s celebrations were short-lived when examiners contacted her four hours later to tell her that the pass certificate was invalid because the examiner had made a mistake during the test.

“I got home chuffed to bits as I’ve wanted to do this for years, only to be told I had failed,” said Cara, who has spent more than £600 on lessons and tests. “I drove exactly how I was instructed, but the examiner had only done one manoeuvre and forgotten to do a second one. Now I’m being penalised and have failed the test.”

The DSA have told Cara she can re-sit the exam free of charge, but she is still in shock. She said: “I want to know how two examiners could let me walk away for four hours without realising they had messed up.  I could have been out on the road illegally.”

After exhausting all her options, including seeking legal advice, Cara has conceded that she will inevitably have to retake her driving test. “No one expects to have to sit their driving test after passing it.  It was nerve-wracking enough the first time, but doing it again is going to be a nightmare,” she admitted.

A spokesman for the DSA said: “We apologise for what was a genuine mistake.  The examiner missed out one of the manoeuvres, which made the test illegal. We have offered a free re-test and will bring someone in especially for this so the candidate is not waiting weeks. We would like her to get in touch as soon as possible. We are very sorry and understand how disappointed she must be.”

Make sure your driving test car is clean!

There are many reasons that driving tests get cancelled, but this one really takes the biscuit!

Learner driver, Jack Hyde had his test cancelled when the driving test examiner refused to conduct the test due to his car being too dirty.  The teenager alleges that he had only cleaned the car that same morning having returned from France the night before, and that there were only a few croissant crumbs on the passenger seat and a dog biscuit in the footwell.

Jack, from Wallingford in Oxfordshire, said: ‘As soon as the examiner opened the passenger door he said: ‘I can’t take you out in this’. I couldn’t believe it.

‘He said he came to work in suit trousers and expected to sit on a tidy seat.  He could have at least given us five minutes to clean it, but there was just no negotiation.  It wasn’t even particularly dirty. There were old stains that you get in any car, but they wouldn’t come off on anyone’s clothes.

‘I know I may not have passed, but it has ruined my summer because it’s a big thing to be able to drive.’”

It certainly wasn’t third time lucky for Jack as his previous two tests had also been cancelled due to examiner illness and standing water from heavy rain.

See the photos and full news story here