The Government has said it will review the system used to train driving instructors, following warnings from driving groups that learners are more likely to fail if they have been taught by trainees (BBC Newsbeat).
Some trainees hold ‘pink’ licences, which mean they can teach under no supervision and charge normal fees. The Driving Instructors Association (DIA) said the trainees are ‘not properly supervised’ but others believe the pink licence system is necessary.
In a statement the RED driving school, one of the UK’s biggest driving centres, said: "The trainee licence scheme brings regulation into an unregulated industry. If this is removed without a replacement scheme, or without new regulation requiring the trainee to receive expert training, it will be road safety which is put at risk."
Steve Garrod of the DIA said the system was widely abused and should be scrapped. He said: “The pink licence system has been neglected for many years and people on it are not properly supervised.
"It’s not right that trainees can charge the same amount as fully qualified instructors when they are less experienced. The chances of you passing your test with a trainee are lower and you could end up spending far more money.”
There are also concerns that learners could pay full price for lessons but end up with a trainee, not a fully qualified instructor.
Barry Kenward, from DIDU, a national driving instructor’s group, said: “It is a requirement to display your pink or green licence in a prominent place in the window so it can be seen by the pupil.
“We have seen many which aren’t clearly visible and in some cases have heard some trainees are deliberately deceptive so they can keep earning top rate money."
Click here to read the full BBC Newsbeat report.
Comment on this story