Driving instructors protest over licence backlog

About 100 driving instructors took to the streets of Bordeaux early on Monday to stage a protest against delays in processing thousands of driving licence applications.

Rush-hour traffic was disrupted by the parade, which began at 7.30am on the day an emergency meeting to solve the matter was scheduled for discussion at the Direction départementale des territoires et de la mer, which oversees the application system.

Driving schools in the department said they have asked instructors to take holiday time due to the absence of work caused by the backlog in processing applications.

All forms of driver education - motorbike, cars, buses and lorries are affected - and all were represented at the protest

Regional representative of the union nationale des indépendants de la conduite Sandra Carasco told 20minutes.fr that some 3,900 applications dating back to December were stuck in processing, leaving instructors effectively out of work as they wait for new students to receive the necessary documents.

Driving schools have demanded an acceleration of the application process to allow students to book lessons. Ms Carasco said that some schools have had to hand back money paid for lessons that could not be taken, and that three driving schools have been forced to close.