WEST Cornwall’s MP has lent his support to a campaign to reinstate Penzance Driving Test Centre to full-time operation.

On Monday (April 27), Liberal Democrat MP Andrew George delivered a petition to Parliament with more than 1,000 signatures from local people in support of greater test availability in Penzance.

Penzance Driving Test Centre operated full time before the Covid-19 pandemic hit but is currently open for just two days per week, something many local instructors and test candidates wish to see reversed.

They have raised concerns with Mr George about long waiting lists for tests, and the long-term future of the DVSA test centre; he has written to local and national DVSA managers, seeking their assurance about the future of the centre

“West Cornwall is at the end of a long, thin peninsula,” said Mr George. “On top of long waits for test appointments, learners who can’t get a test in Penzance must travel to Camborne or even further afield, a round trip of several hours for some constituents who rely on public transport.

“DVSA guidance on distance and population density can’t properly understand a geography like ours. It’s time Penzance was reinstated as a full-time test centre.”

A recent report by the National Audit Office found that the Government’s efforts to tackle the nationwide driving test post-pandemic backlog have struggled so far. Around 360,000 tests remain unbooked, with average waiting times reaching 22 weeks in September 2025 compared with just seven pre-pandemic.

The report highlights a test booking system infected by bots, and abused by unscrupulous third-party re-sellers who have been known to book up test slots and charge a resale price of over £500. Meanwhile, a drive to recruit 400 new instructors has shown poor progress, taking on just 83.