Leitrim driving test delays expected to fall as RSA reports further progress
As of June 14, the average national waiting time for a driving test is 18.4 weeks, while Carrick-on-Shannon recorded an average waiting time of 17 weeks for a test invitation at the end of May.
The Road Safety Authority (RSA) has reported further progress under its Action Plan aimed at reducing driving test waiting times. As of June 14, the average national waiting time for a driving test stands at 18.4 weeks, an improvement from the peak of 27 weeks at the end of April.
Announced at the end of May, the Action Plan outlines a series of initiatives to bring the national average waiting time down to 10 weeks by September 2025.
At Leitrim's only test centre in Carrick-on-Shannon, the estimated waiting time for a test invite was 17 weeks at the end of May, down from 23 weeks in April and 22 weeks in March.
In Donegal Town, the test centre’s waiting time for an invite has seen a nine-week reduction, standing at 13 weeks in May, compared to 22 weeks in April and 18 weeks in March.
Meanwhile, in Sligo, the estimated invite time in May was 20 weeks, down from 28 weeks in April and 25 weeks in March.
The number of driving tests delivered has also increased. In Carrick-on-Shannon, 213 tests were conducted in May, compared to 122 in April and 131 in March.
However, the issue of no-shows continues to affect the system. In May, 10 individuals failed to appear for their scheduled test at the Carrick-on-Shannon centre alone.
To address the backlog, the RSA has implemented several key measures. These include the accelerated training of new testers using additional facilities and a revised training approach, allowing for early deployment of new testers.
Testing hours have been extended to include weekday evenings, Saturdays, and bank holidays, with tests running from 7:25am to 7:00pm.
Additionally, a targeted manual intervention in the booking system is helping to prioritise areas with the highest demand and ensure more efficient slot allocation.
“These improvements reflect the pace and focus with which the RSA and its teams have been implementing the targeted measures outlined in the Action Plan,” said Brendan Walsh, Chief Operations Officer with the RSA.
“We expect the service waiting time to be below 18 weeks at the end of June,” he added.