NASP member associations have raised the issue on numerous occasions and asked for a line of sight on when waiting rooms may reopen as trainers are already starting to be left out in the cold as Autumn arrives.

It is notable that the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) have also written to the agency highlighting that the failure to provide adequate sanitary facilities and waiting spaces to customers, and what HSE deems as ‘workers’ in this context (i.e. trainers), is contrary to health and safety legislation and regulation.

Whilst relenting on the issue of failing to provide toilet facilities on the recommencement of testing services, DVSA have maintained to date that it was difficult to open waiting rooms across the board due to the challenges of ensuring social distancing (and need to limit exposure for all users to COVID-19), staffing challenges, and the issue at some test centres that waiting rooms are being pressed into service as extra office space to allow staff to socially distance.

We have received the following from DVSA today:

Regards use of waiting rooms, many thanks for forwarding HSEs response Our current holding position is as follows:

DVSA’s priority is to stop the spread of COVID-19.

Following engagement with driving instructors we made toilet and handwashing facilities available for any candidate, instructor or accompanying driver if requested.

DVSA is currently in discussion with HSE about the use of waiting rooms for driving instructors.

The NASP associations will continue to press the agency on this important issue which has the potential to impact the health and welfare of trainers across the board – even in the context of the decision to keep waiting rooms closed being made for health and safety reasons.

Please keep checking the NASP website www.n-a-s-p.co.uk , individual NASP member association websites, member emails and social media for updated information. This advice is for everyone when your government say it’s safe to work.

Please remember that ADINJC, DIA and MSA are the only Tier 1 consultative stakeholder of DVSA within the ADI industry and as such receive information and communications direct from the regulator to disseminate to members. It is wise to check the source and validity of any other information you see, particularly on social media, if it does not come from a professional body within the sector.