A DRIVING instructor from Chirk is concerned about how social distancing measures, beyond the lockdown of the country, could have an impact on those working in the driving school community.

Richard Jermy, who runs Clever Dicks Driving School, believes it will be difficult for a lot of driving instructors to return to work, as he feels it would be impossible to conform with social distancing measures when teaching.

He also worries that there could be longer waiting times for students who want to sit their tests, with most test centres closed at the moment.

“All tests have been cancelled apart from those for people who are classed as key workers,” he said.

“There are certain test centres still open, but I think the nearest one to here is Widnes – nowhere around here is open.

“So there are ways of doing it, but I know a lot of instructors won’t be willing to do it at this time, I know I’m certainly not, because social distancing is impossible when teaching someone to drive.

“Going forward, I’m concerned how we will be able to manage the situation – we can sit with personal protective equipment (PPE) on, but we still wouldn’t be distancing very much.

“There would be the issue of cleaning all the door handles, steering wheel, handbrakes, thoroughly before anyone new got in the car.”

Before the lockdown, a push from driving instructors in Oswestry and the surrounding areas to reduce waiting times for tests, saw waits drop from as long as four months to a little as seven weeks, but the situation regarding COVID-19 has changed matters again.

Richard also worries some driving instructors may not want to return to work any time soon, fearing they will be putting themselves at risk of contracting the virus.

He added: “Tests I had booked for students in April have been put back to August, so you’re already looking at a four-month waiting list essentially, and it could even be more than that at the time because of the knock-on effect.

“It’s also a case of how many instructors will go back to work – a lot of them aren’t getting paid currently so they eventually might feel they have no other option but to go back.

“It’s all a bit unknown at the moment, but from my personal point of view, I wouldn’t want to be going back to work any time soon because I don’t think it’s safe.

“It’s similar to other jobs including hairdressers and nail beauticians – they’re possibly worse off because they can’t avoid having to have direct contact with the person.”

“The only thing preventing me from going back to work is the social distancing issue, and with no guarantee of a vaccine soon, we have to decide when we’ll have to go back in line with government advice.”

A group of instructors from Oswestry and the surrounding areas have pledged to offer 30 hours of free driving lessons for one key worker each when they return to teaching.