A DRIVING school has called for more practical tests, adding that learners in York and beyond have faced "several hurdles with starting their adult life".

It comes amid analysis which shows more than 2,000 driving tests were cancelled at York Test Centre between March and December in 2020 because of the pandemic.

AA Driving School has said learners have not only faced months of cancellations but that expiring theory test certificates are now affecting bookings.

457,716 practical driving tests have been cancelled due to pandemic, the school reported.

The AA Driving School is calling on the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency for more test slots to be made available to cope with pent-up demand.

According to a snap AA poll, eight in ten people feel that young people have been overly disadvantaged by the pandemic.

Drivers were asked if they believed young people have been worst hit during the pandemic because of disruption to driving lessons, as well as issues with exam results, school closures and unemployment.

A further 62 per cent agreed the Government should extend theory test certificates which expired in lockdown.

Theory test certificates expire after 24 months however the government said it would be a ‘road safety issue’ to extend the expiry date for some learners, despite giving driving licences an extension in previous lockdowns5.

If a learner passed their theory driving test before the first lockdown in 2020, they would have missed out on more than six months of time to take driving lessons and book a practical driving test.

Robert Cowell, AA Driving School interim managing director, said: “Young people have faced several hurdles with starting their adult life in the last year. Many have faced disruption to education due to Covid outbreaks, frustration with securing employment and delays to learning to drive.

“Because of lockdowns thousands of would-be learners have also missed months of lessons and missed driving tests. The fact theory tests expire after two years has only brought more stress and urgency to the situation.

“Learners are finding they can’t take their practical driving test now because their theory test expired in one of the lockdowns, something which was beyond their control.

“The government should review their position on theory test certificates and save many young people this additional burden at a time when many already struggling.”