The DVLA made me wait more than YEAR for my licence…I had to quit my job as a driving instructor
A DRIVING instructor claims he was was forced to quit his job after waiting more than a YEAR for a new licence.
John Swindail, 70, took time off the road after he broke his back, legs, ribs, and nose, following a microlight crash in 2011, leaving him reliant on crutches and a wheelchair.
Despite his injuries, the 70-year-old says he is now fit to drive but has been unable to do so since January, 2021, when he first sent off for a routine licence renewal from the DVLA.
John, who lives with wife Elizabeth Anne, in Werrington, is now keen to get back on the road.
But over-70s must get their licence renewed every three years, and his application is yet to be approved.
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John told StokeonTrentLive: "I lost a year of my life due to the accident. I’ve got no recall of what happened. I flew my microlight into the ground. I was suffering from undiagnosed sleep apnea at the time. I think I fell asleep.
John added: “I've still not got my licence back. Contacting the DVLA is impossible. There’s been no contact other than the letter to say they had received the documents. I had to put the licence in the post with details from the doctor too.
“It's been over a year now. I’ve given up. You get fed up with waiting and get resigned to the fact that you haven't got a driving licence.
It's been over a year now. I’ve given up. You get fed up with waiting and get resigned to the fact that you haven't got a driving licence.
“I want it back. I am fit to drive. They have taken away my independence. My car is sitting out there and is barely getting used. If I have to take a trip to the hospital my wife has to take me.
“It’s dreadful. I would never have retired from my job until I had to. I’d like my licence and an apology.
“I haven’t been able to drive for a year. It’s not an inconvenience, it’s a change of life.
“They are faceless people and you never get to talk to the person who is responsible.”
LICENCE TO KILL TIME
The DVLA has apologised for “ongoing delays” with paper applications, citing issues relating to the coronavirus pandemic, social distancing requirements, and strike action.
A DVLA spokesman said: “Our online services are working as normal and without delay. There are ongoing delays with paper applications and more complex transactions, for example if medical investigations are needed, and we’re sorry for any inconvenience this may cause.
“Where we require additional information from a driver’s doctor we will be wholly reliant on receiving this information before a decision can be made.”
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