The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) has confirmed all driving tests across East Lancashire and other parts of the UK will be cancelled on Monday, September 19, for the Queen’s funeral.

The DVSA said it is suspending most of its services, including theory and practical tests, and said practical driving tests will be automatically re-booked for the first available date.

This update impacts every driving test centre in Lancashire which include:

  • Blackburn with Darwen: Blackburn Interchange, Commercial Road
  • Chorley: Rossall Road
  • Preston: Chain Caul Road
  • Nelson: Ground Floor Units 103,104, 105, Pendle Business Centre, Commercial Road
  • Blackpool: Government Buildings, Warbreck Hill Road
  • Kirkham (LGV training):  Freckleton Lane, Kirkham

A DVSA spokesperson said: “Our thoughts are with His Majesty King Charles III and the Royal Family at this sad time.

“In line with national mourning guidance our services will continue during the mourning period.

“We are suspending all but our most essential our services on September 19 due to the Bank Holiday and State Funeral, allowing individuals, businesses and other organisations to pay their respects to Her Majesty.

"We are contacting all our customers affected.”

Earlier this year, the DVSA reported a huge backlog of candidates waiting to take their tests following the coronavirus pandemic.

At the end of last year more than half a million people were waiting to take a test and many are still waiting months to take one.

Following Freedom of Information requests to the DVSA and data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS), a new report by learner driver insurers Marmalade has shown the full scale of the backlog and how it is set to compound in the coming months. 

They estimated the backlog will not be cleared until January 2024 at the current rate.