Publication of ‘DfI Driver, Vehicle, Operator, and Enforcement Statistics 2022-23 Quarter Two’

Date published: 25 January 2023

The ‘DfI Driver, Vehicle, Operator, and Enforcement Statistics 2022-23 Quarter Two’ report, detailing statistics for July to September 2022, is now available.

Statistical press release

The report is produced and published by NISRA Statisticians working within the DVA. It contains summary statistical, performance, and trend information relating to the main business functions of the Driver and Vehicle Agency (DVA), and other vehicle licensing activity. 

The publication is available on the DfI website at: Driver & Vehicle Agency Activity Statistics

Key Points:

  • During quarter two of 2022/23, the DVA delivered 273,476 vehicle tests (full and retest). This is the second highest quarter two figure on record, and 40% above the equivalent count for quarter two in 2021/22 (194,813).
  • The number of full vehicle tests conducted this quarter at 237,491 is the second highest quarter two count since 2008/09.
  • This quarter, 10,740 vehicles failed to attend a booked vehicle test, which equates to 3.9% of all testing this quarter (273,476).
  • Online internet booking received almost 93% of all vehicle test applications, with 7% made through Call Centres. This is the fourth quarter in a row that online vehicle test bookings exceeded 90% of all vehicle test bookings.
  • From July to September 2022/23, the DVA delivered 22,175 theory tests, the second highest quarter two level on record since 2012/13.
  • The DVA conducted 16,978 driving tests this quarter, the second highest on record for all quarter two testing since 2011/12.
  • Private car driver testing accounted for just over 8 in every 10 driving tests (81.5%), with DVA delivering 13,835 tests this quarter.
  • The DVA received 18,249 applications for a driving test this quarter, 10% (2,019) lower than quarter one (20,268).
  • Driver licensing online performance in the first two quarters of 2022/23, from April to June, and July to September, remained above the target level of 95%, at 99.7% and 99.2% respectively.
  • At the end of September 2022, there were 7,939 licensed taxi drivers, a fall of 1.7% (138) relative to the end of June 2022 (8,077).
  • In the second quarter of 2022/23, the DVA were active across the full range of enforcement activities, with 857 vehicles checked, 79 fixed penalty notices issued totalling £8,870, 1 joint operation with PSNI, and 5 cross border operations with An Garda Síochána. DVA obtained 21 successful convictions this quarter relating to 66 offences, the value of court fines and costs amounting to £12,750.
  • During July to September 2022, the DVLA registered 12,444 new vehicles to Northern Ireland, 7% (1,007) fewer than the previous quarter (13,451), but slightly higher compared with quarter two of 2021/22 (12,094).
  • The proportion of new cars registered in Northern Ireland using alternative-fuel has increased substantially over the last number of years, rising from 5.8% in quarter two of 2018/19, to its current high of 36.5% for quarter two of 2022/23.  Over the same period, the proportion of new diesel cars declined from 36.5% to 11.6%. This is the eighth quarter in a row that alternative-fuel cars out-sold diesel cars.

Notes to editors: 

  1. This is the thirty-second edition of the quarterly report ‘DfI Driver, Vehicle, Operator, and Enforcement Statistics’, relating to July to September 2022.  
  2. The release covers nine main DVA business areas: vehicle testing, theory testing, driver testing, driver licensing, road transport and taxi licensing, enforcement and goods operator licensing from within the DfI.  Also included in the quarterly report are monitoring results for the first two quarters of 2022/23 for two key DVA driver licensing performance targets.
  3. Vehicle licensing statistics are included in the report; however, they are no longer a DVA business area: responsibility for vehicle licensing transferred to DVLA in July 2014 and DfT now publish these statistics on a UK-wide basis. 
  4. We derive the majority of statistics from administrative data sources held within the DVA and the DfI’s Transport Regulation Unit. 
  5. The report is written, and issued by NISRA statisticians in the DVA. 
  6. ‘DfI Driver, Vehicle, Operator and Enforcement Statistics’ is published every quarter at pre-announced release dates, which are available from the GOV.UK website.
  7. Electronic copies of the ‘DfI Driver, Vehicle, Operator, and Enforcement Statistics 2022-23 Quarter One’ can be downloaded from our website at: Driver & Vehicle Agency Activity Statistics
  8. A detailed User Guidance document is also available on our website.
  9. This is a National Statistics report and therefore follows the Code of Practice for Official Statistics.  You can find further information about the Code on the Statistics Authority’s website. 
  10. For further information, please contact:
DVA Statistics Branch,
Driver and Vehicle Agency,
Annex 4,
Belfast Test Centre,
66 Balmoral Road,
Belfast,
BT12 6QL

 

  1. The Executive Information Service operates an out of hours service for media enquiries only between 1800hrs and 0800hrs Monday to Friday and at weekends and public holidays. The duty press officer can be contacted on 028 9037 8110.
  2. Follow the Department for Infrastructure on Twitter @deptinfra and on Facebook @DepartmentforInfrastructure.

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