Halfords to offer Practical Driving tests from February 2013

Written by admin on January 08th 2013

Photo credit : dsagovuk

Road safety minister Stephen Hammond, has given the go ahead for practical driving tests to offered by the car parts and accessories chain, Halfords.  The deal has been in the pipeline since summer 2012 but was given the seal of approval by Stephen Hammond today.

The first Halfords store to be offering practical driving test facilities will be in Wellingborough, which will start offering the test from the 5th February 2013.  The intention is then for further Halfords stores to follow suit in the coming months, with suggestions that Glasgow, Altrincham, Market Harborough and Hemel Hempstead are all being considered.  All tests will be conducted by Driving Standards Agency (DSA) examiners.

The Government is currently consulting on ways to improve the way that all motoring services are delivered.  There are currently 400 test centres across the UK and the hope is that by Halfords offering test facilities it will make the service more accessible to more people.

The Halfords deal is the first of its kind but there is the possibility that we will see more changes like this in the future. The Driving Standards Agency (DSA) is looking at both the private and public sector (including fire stations and universities) to host practical driving test centres at some stage in years to come.

Road Safety minister, Stephen Hammond said:
“We are very pleased to be working with Halfords to provide a more local service for driving test candidates.
This is a great example of working with private sector partners to provide an important local service that is convenient as well as being cost effective.”