A 17-year-old learner driver has failed her test before it even started, because the car she was using was slammed as being “too dirty” by the examiner.
But the girl's father has hit back at Blackpool Test Centre, claiming the car was “spotless” and actually belonged to her own instructor.
The girl, who did not want to be named, was left distraught by the incident. The instructor asked for a second opinion on the state of the car, which was still labelled as dirty.
The learner driver now faces a four to five month wait for another test to due long Covid-related backlogs, and will have to shell out £64 again as she was unable to get her money back.
Her father, from St Michael's on Wyre, Lancashire, said: “It was the instructor's car and it was spotless apart from a few tiny bits of rubber from when the instructor had rubbed something out of his diary.
“The filings weren't on the seat or anywhere were the examiner would be sitting – it wasn't like there were crisp packets and empty tins everywhere, it's ridiculous.
“They spent about 10 minutes trying to discuss it and sort it out, but got nowhere.
“So she's failed without even driving the car, and there's no way of getting the money back.
“She was distraught, in floods of tears, I can't see a reason why he couldn't get into the car.
“At the end of the day, these people are civil servants and they need to be accountable. There's such a backlog of people wanting to take their test, and this is making it worse.
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“This is one of the most nerve-wracking things a teenager does, it's one of those stand-out moments in your life, and this has just made it worse.
“She's saved up for this for a long time, she's saved up herself for her first car, and this is so unfair.”
A Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency spokesman told the Daily Star: “DVSA’s priority is to protect our customers and staff and stop the spread of Covid-19.
“Guidance has been issued that cars used on driving tests must be cleaned before the test to lessen the chance of infection.
“Driving tests will not go ahead if this has not been followed to ensure public safety.
"The examiner will do an additional clean of some surfaces.
"The car you use for your test must have at least one window open on each side throughout the test.
"Any combination of windows can be opened – for example, one from the front and one from the back. Wear clothing suitable for the weather."
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