DVSA has announced that the implementation of the new assessment has been delayed and the promised deadline will be missed.
Late last week the Government Legal Department confirmed it was unlikely that the final deadline would be met to lay the changes in Parliament to meet the implementation date of 2 October.
DVSA has now taken the decision to delay the implementation date.
The agency is hoping that the change will still happen in October.
PDIs who have a part 3 test booked in the first 2 weeks of October will be contacted by DVSA. They will be given the option of postponing their test to a later date or keeping their test date and taking the test in current format.
The DVSA official blog states the following:
“Since Mark Magee updated you in April on the changes to the ADI part 3 test, we’ve been busy preparing for the launch, including training our examiners.
We still need to gain parliamentary approval for the timing of the implementation, so the changes won’t be happening on 2 October 2017 as we previously told you.
The changes will still happen, but we’re aiming for late in October as the legislation needs to go before Parliament. We then have to wait a minimum of 21 days to introduce the change. We’ve only had confirmation this week that we won’t be able to do this in time to meet 2 October. I’ll let you know as soon as I can when the changes will be coming in, so you can prepare for them.
We’ll contact anyone with an ADI part 3 test booked in the first 2 weeks of October to let them know what options they have, such as postponing their test to a later date.
The ADI part 3 test marking sheet is now available on GOV.UK. I hope this helps you better prepare for the new test.”
NASP current Chair Carly Brookfield commented:
“NASP is disappointed that the implementation of the new Part 3 assessment has been delayed and that the promised deadline will be missed. The lack of notice (with only one month to go to launch) is unhelpful to trainers and candidates who have already had to get up to speed with these changes in a relatively short timescale.
“NASP had previously asked DVSA to consider delaying the implementation of the changes to the Part 3 on the basis of a lack of confidence that the agency was at the point of readiness to resource the changes. It is now clear that the agency is not ready for the promised launch date.
“Whilst it has been made clear throughout that the launch of the new assessment was subject to a regulatory approval process, we were not advised until today that this would cause a delay at such a late stage. “We have urged DVSA to issue a revised timetable for implementation immediately and ensure candidates and trainers have access to clear advice and support in terms of rescheduling tests booked for October and what their next steps should be. We will keep you updated.
“It should be noted that this delay will not affect the introduction of the new driving test on 4 December as those changes do not require parliamentary approval.”
ADI NETWORK 