BAILII
British and Irish Legal Information Institute


Freely Available British and Irish Public Legal Information

[Home] [Databases] [World Law] [Multidatabase Search] [Help] [Feedback]

First-tier Tribunal (General Regulatory Chamber)


You are here: BAILII >> Databases >> First-tier Tribunal (General Regulatory Chamber) >> Raja v Registrar of Approved Driving Instructors [2025] UKFTT 582 (GRC) (29 May 2025)
URL: http://www.bailii.org/uk/cases/UKFTT/GRC/2025/582.html
Cite as: [2025] UKFTT 582 (GRC)

[New search] [Printable PDF version] [Help]

Neutral Citation Number: [2025] UKFTT 582 (GRC)
Case Reference: D/2025/0009

First-tier Tribunal
General Regulatory Chamber
Transport

Determined on the papers
29th May 2025

B e f o r e :

HHJ DAVID DIXON
____________________

Between:
ASIM ALI RAJA
Appellant
- and -

THE REGISTRAR OF APPROVED DRIVING INSTRUCTORS
Respondent

____________________


____________________

HTML VERSION OF DECISION
____________________

Crown Copyright ©

    Decision: The appeal is dismissed to be effective as of the 6th June 2025 and the Registrar's decision remains.

    REASONS

    Background to Appeal

  1. This appeal concerns a decision of the Registrar of Approved Driving Instructors ("the Registrar") made 4th December 2024 to refuse to grant the Appellant a third trainee licence.
  2. The Appellant is a trainee driving instructor who was granted a trainee licence under s.129 of the Road Traffic Act 1988[1] ('the Act') for a six-month period, then another, but was refused a further licence at the end of the relevant period.
  3. The Registrar's reasons for refusal, in summary, were that the Appellant had not passed the final part of the ADI qualifying examination within the relevant period and as insufficient evidence of loss of training time was supplied that the Appellant had had long enough to progress, and the application to issue a third trainee licence was therefore refused.
  4. The Appellant now appeals the Registrar's decision.
  5. Appeal to the Tribunal

  6. The Appellant's Notice of Appeal relies on grounds that he has worked hard to get through his examinations and is deeply committed to improving his skills. He seeks a further licence to allow him to attempt his final Part 3 examination opportunity. He asserts that there have been challenges in obtaining the necessary experience to pass his Part 3. To the Registrar he suggested there were delays getting test dates.
  7. The Respondent submitted a Response indicating that the decision letter sets out their position. The Registrar points out that the Applicant has failed to provide any indication of a lack of training opportunity, and as a result no further licence is appropriate. He indicates that the Appellant has held a trainee licence for some time now.
  8. The Registrar points out that the Appellant has failed his instructional ability test twice so far. He has been licensed to instruct since 16th October 2023, a period today of some 19 ½ months. A final test is booked for 2nd June 2025.
  9. Mode of Determination

  10. The case was listed for a paper determination both sides having agreed to the same. The Tribunal considered the papers and came to the conclusion that such a determination was fair and appropriate, and in accordance with the Tribunal Rules and the wider interests of justice.
  11. The Tribunal considered a bundle of evidence containing 21 pages.
  12. The Law

  13. The grant of a trainee licence enables applicants to provide instruction for payment before they are qualified. The circumstances in which trainee licences may be granted are set out in s. 129 of the Act and the Motor Cars (Driving Instruction) Regulations 2005[2].
  14. A licence under section 129(1) of the Act is granted:
  15. 'for the purpose of enabling a person to acquire practical experience in giving instruction in driving motor cars with a view to undergoing such part of the examination… as consists of a practical test of ability and fitness to instruct '.

  16. In order to qualify as an Approved Driving Instructor, applicants must pass the Qualifying Examination. This comprises: the written examination ('Part 1'); the driving ability and fitness test ('Part 2'); and the instructional ability and fitness test ('Part 3'). Three attempts are permitted at each part. The whole examination must be completed within 2 years of passing Part 1, failing which the whole examination has to be retaken.
  17. If a candidate has passed part 2, they may be granted a trainee licence. However, holding a trainee licence is not a prerequisite to qualification as an Approved Driving Instructor and many people qualify as an Approved Driving Instructor without having held a trainee licence.
  18. The powers of the Tribunal in determining this appeal are set out in s. 131 of the Act. The Tribunal may make such order as it thinks fit.
  19. When making its Decision, the Tribunal stands in the shoes of the Registrar of approved Driving Instructors and takes a fresh decision on the evidence available to it, giving appropriate weight to the Registrar's decision[3] as the person tasked by Parliament with making such decisions. The burden of proof in satisfying the Tribunal that the Registrar's decision was wrong rests with the Appellant.
  20. Conclusion

  21. The Tribunal considered carefully all the papers before it.
  22. In fixing a period of 6 month to allow for trainee instructors to progress Parliament must have had in mind that we are all subject to differing life events that affect our ability to undertake certain tasks. Sometimes those events are so unusual or have such a bearing on an individual that it will be entirely appropriate to find that a longer than normal period of time should be allowed to complete a task. Here the Appellant raises that booking a test slot was difficult. No other lack of training opportunity is stipulated. The Tribunal therefore finds that there has been appropriate time to train. The fact that today the Appellant has had the benefit in effect of a third licence that is trebly so.
  23. In all the circumstances, the Tribunal is driven to the conclusion that the Registrar's initial decision was correct, and the appeal must fail.
  24. The Appellant is not precluded from taking his Part 3 examinations as a result of this decision. The Tribunal wishes him well in his examination if he chooses to continue with the same.
  25. This appeal is dismissed, however as an act of mercy the decision will not take effect until 6th June 2025 to allow him to take his final test.
  26. (Signed)

    HHJ David Dixon

    DATE: 27th May 2025

Note 1   http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1988/52/part/V/crossheading/licences     [Back]

Note 2   http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2005/1902/pdfs/uksi_20051902_en.pdf     [Back]

Note 3   See R (Hope and Glory Public House Limited) v City of Westminster Magistrates' Court [2011] EWCA Civ 31. http://www.bailii.org/ew/cases/EWCA/Civ/2011/31.html. Approved by the Supreme Court in Hesham Ali (Iraq) v Secretary of State for the Home Department [2016] UKSC 60 at paragraph 45 – see https://www.supremecourt.uk/cases/docs/uksc-2015-0126-judgment.pdf.    [Back]

About BAILII - FAQ - Copyright Policy - Disclaimers - Privacy Policy amended on 25/11/2010