Cullen promises eight-week waiting time for driving tests

Waiting lists for driving tests will drop to eight weeks in a year’s time, it was claimed today.

Detailing spending plans for the next 12 months, Minister for Transport Martin Cullen said there would be a 58% increase in finance for public transport.

And the Road Safety Authority is to get €10m to clear the backlog of learner drivers.

The waiting list for a test has already fallen from well over a year to 28 weeks, but Mr Cullen said he wanted it reduced further.

“The decisions I took are having an impact. I want to now get the quantum leap to finish the argument. I want to see the waiting lists down next year to about eight weeks fully acceptable,” he said.

“And what we are going to have then is a revolution in the driving license system changing exactly what exists in Ireland today, to a graduated system much more strenuous. But what does it mean?” he asked.

“Better quality drivers on our roads, more responsibility, greater understanding of what they are doing and better trained.”

Other key spending plans in the department’s estimates include 150 new intercity railcars, work on the Western Rail Corridor, 100 new buses for Dublin Bus, €33m for the coastguard and €28m for the country’s regional airports.

Some €1.5bn will be invested in the National Roads Development Programme under Transport 21, a 9% increase on 2006.

Projects due to start include the Clonee/South of Virginia Bypass; the Leixslip/M50 Junction and the Ballinasloe Bypass. Others due to be completed include the Kilkenny ring road extension and the Castleblayney bypass.

Taoiseach Bertie Ahern also rejected suggestions pumping money into infrastructure such as roads and rail would be wasted.

“The NRA have stated they could spend an additional half million more on the transport capital programme than they presently are and not have any effect into construction phase and well within the capacity of the construction industry.

“To be frank they are the people who know because they are the people who are doing this all the time.

“We have moved to a position that is trying to resolve the congestion that we have in a growing country.”