21/01/2015

New Drivers Paying Almost Double Compared To Rest Of UK

The cost of a provisional driving license in Northern Ireland is almost double what it costs in Britain.

According to a report by the BBC, learner drivers in the region are paying £62.50 and can only be purchased by post; whereas in England, the license costs £34 and can be bought online.

Independent MLA Claire Sugden has previously raised the issue of the cost difference with the Environment Minister Mark H Durkan.

According to the report, Mr Durkan said that driver licensing in Northern Ireland was "self financing", with the cost of licenses used to cover salaries, production costs and the payment of fees for medical assessments, as well as the support and development of IT systems.

It is understood that the Driver and Vehicle License Agency (DVLA) is currently developing a new IT system, to be implemented in 2016, that will allow for online processing.

(MH/JP)

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