The Ombudsman announced on Thursday that it will investigate the Transport Department's (TD) arrangements for driving tests, after receiving around 40 related complaints over the past year.

In a statement, Winnie Chiu said the average waiting time for a driving test ranges from seven to more than ten months.

She said the wait could be even longer for people who failed their test and require a retake.

“Candidates who failed a road test and applied for retaking the test would usually be allotted a test date beyond the validity period of their learner’s driving licences (12 months),” the Ombudsman said.

“It means that they would have to apply for their learner’s driving licences again for undergoing driving training before the next road test, resulting in additional cost and inconvenience.”

Chiu also noted that there’s been a rise in the number of complaints regarding the appeal mechanism for those who failed their tests.

She said there’s a need to review whether it is appropriate for the department to ban video recording during the tests, saying some candidates had complained about the lack of evidence to back up their claims during the appeal process.

“Whether TD can make use of technology for keeping objective records of driving tests so as to facilitate effective handling of related complaints and appeal cases is an issue worth studying.”

Members of the public have until June 18 to submit their views.