Driving Test Waiting Times Drop as RSA Action Plan Shows Early Promise

• Latest figures reveal encouraging progress, but Cork drivers still face lengthy waits as authority pushes towards September target

The Road Safety Authority has delivered the first positive news for driving test candidates in months, with waiting times beginning to fall as new measures take effect across the country.

Latest data shows the average national waiting time for a driving test has dropped to 20.6 weeks as of 31st May, down from a projected 22 weeks for the same period. The improvement represents significant progress from the 27-week average recorded at the end of April when the RSA launched its action plan to tackle the backlog.

The week prior to the latest figures saw even better results, with average waiting times at 21.4 weeks, substantially ahead of the forecasted 25 weeks for that period.

Brendan Walsh, Chief Operations Officer with the RSA, said: "While there is still a considerable journey ahead to get to the 10 week SLA by September, we are encouraged by the early indicators of progress. These improvements would not have been possible without the continued support and flexibility of our driver testers, administrative staff, and the wider RSA team. We are especially grateful to those who volunteered to work additional hours over the recent bank holiday weekend, during which more than 700 tests were scheduled."

The progress comes as welcome relief for thousands of learner drivers who have faced increasingly lengthy delays in recent months. The RSA's ambitious target aims to reduce waiting times to 10 weeks by September, which would require maintaining the current rate of improvement.

The authority's action plan has relied heavily on staff volunteering for additional hours, with more than 700 driving tests conducted during the recent bank holiday weekend alone. This represents a significant increase in weekend testing capacity as the RSA works to clear the backlog.

For Cork drivers, the national average provides hope that local waiting times may also begin to improve, though individual test centres may experience varying results depending on local demand and staffing levels.

The RSA faces a challenging timeline to meet its September target, requiring sustained progress over the coming months to achieve the promised 10-week service level agreement.