A significant concern for constituents in Malton is the limited number of driving test appointments available at our local centre. The Malton Driving Test Centre once offered around 28 test slots weekly; today, this has dropped to only 7. This drastic reduction has caused considerable backlogs, hindering both aspiring drivers and local driving instructors.
Young people, students, and job-seekers across Malton rely on these tests to achieve the independence that driving brings, yet they now face delays of several months or costly journeys to distant centres. Additionally, local driving instructors are finding it harder to operate sustainably, with fewer local test slots impacting their schedules and increasing costs.
To address this, I am working closely with dedicated members of Malton's Driving Instructor community to push the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) for increased testing capacity. Restoring or even expanding test appointments is essential—not just for convenience, but to support the local economy and improve accessibility.
I am in active talks with the DVSA, urging them to commit to boosting test availability in Malton to meet the needs of our community. Thank you to everyone who has raised their concerns.