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Learner drivers face up to 6 months’ wait to get driving lessons in Scunthorpe and the rest of Lincolnshire
Learner drivers face a steep battle to get behind the wheel and pass their driving test. According to some driving schools in Scunthorpe they are struggling to cope with demand, and do not have enough driving instructors.
The problem is not just happening in Scunthorpe. Driving schools in Grimsby, Skegness, Boston, Grantham, Lincoln and the rest of Lincolnshire are facing the same problem.
Some Lincolnshire driving schools have a waiting list of six months due to the lack of qualified driving instructors.
According to new research, more than 60% of driving instructors are fully booked for at least six weeks but in some cases, some driving schools are reporting they do not have availability until June 2022.
The pressure on driving schools has been blamed on the COVID pandemic and lockdown. This resulted in all driving lessons being cancelled. But, according to some of the driving schools we have spoken to, some lessons in the past couple of weeks had to be cancelled due to the petrol shortage problem.
Driving schools in Lincolnshire and the rest of the country including Manchester, Sheffield, Liverpool, and London are desperately trying to recruit new driving instructors. Nationally the number of qualified driving instructors has dropped by 3%.
The driving instructor shortage problem is not just delaying people learning to drive and passing their test, it is also affecting other industries.
As a result of people taking longer to drive, it means the motor industry will see fewer new drivers buying new or second hand cars.
One driving instructor who did not wished to be named said that fewer people are interested in becoming a driving instructor. His solution to the long-term problem is to pay driving instructors more which would mean driving lessons having to increase in price.