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Phased reintroduction of test centre waiting rooms could start next week
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has said that the reintroduction of waiting area provision is likely to commence next week and others will follow as part of DVSA’s phased plan.

HSE responded following a campaign from DIA, other NASP associations and individual driver trainers regarding the problem of a lack of waiting rooms. DVSA and HSE have been in discussions to try and work out a safe way to open waiting rooms so trainers no longer have to to wait outside in bad weather during driving tests.

HSE said: “Due to the challenges presented by a wide variety of premises type (whether by size, capacity, location, sole occupancy by DVSA, in a multi-occupancy building, etc) there has been a need to discuss in further detail, the provision of waiting areas while also ensuring the appropriate management of the risk of coronavirus transmission amongst visitors and workers at test centres. We acknowledge that driving instructors have not been able to access waiting areas during this time, but we are advised by DVSA that access is provided to toilets and handwashing facilities at all test centres.

“By way of update from discussions, DVSA is completing site specific risk assessments for all sites to allow them to start to reinstate the use of waiting areas while taking account of risks of COVID-19 transmission. Of necessity this means that the reintroduction of these facilities will be phased depending on the individual challenges presented by the site and the solutions that need to be deployed before they can be used, i.e. facilities will be available at some centres before others.

“We know that the pandemic continues to present a worrying time for all and DVSA’s work continues to take that into account for visitors and workers at test centre sites while provision of waiting facilities is considered.”