A LARGS driving instructor says she is delighted to be back on the road - but has warned of a frustrating few month as local learners face a backlog of tests.

Maggie Smith returned to work at the end of August and was relieved to get the green light after more than five months with the handbrake on.

She says there was concern from her students that they would be disadvantaged by lockdown, but after a few miles they were quickly back in top gear.

Maggie explained: “I was concerned that the extended break from driving lessons would have a big effect on those who were stopped from learning to drive.

“I think they had assumed everything they had done would be lost, but as soon as you do it once you can pick it back up even after a long break.”

With driving tests resuming this week, Maggie believes there will be a fight to get a spot.

She said: “At the moment everyone is fighting to get a driving test, and if I can’t get my students a test then I can’t take any more people on.

“I don’t think I’ll have any space on my waiting list until next year, a lot people who were test ready now need more lessons.

“We’ve had five months of people turning 17 and who are fed up with being stuck in the house, so they want to drive more than ever.

"I’m not going to kill myself just to keep my waiting list down and there are others like me."

Maggie insists all measures are being taken to put both parties at ease after concerns over whether lessons could be reinstated safely.

She explained: “There are a lot of precautions we have to take, including wearing masks at all times.

“I also choose to wear a face shield when I am giving feedback at the side of the road because I think it is important for the students to see my facial expressions.

“Before the lesson I meet them outside of the car and take their temperature before they can get inside.

“Then when we get out of the car after a lesson I disinfect everything that we have touched with wipes.”

Maggie added: “It is to reassure the students as much as anything else, they are already nervous enough before a driving lesson.

“I’m personally not scared of it but I do understand if students are nervous, and I don’t want them to have extra anxiety when they don’t need to.

“It is understandable that they would be nervous because it is a long time to be sitting so close to someone, even with face protection.”

With all guidelines and rules constantly under review, Maggie knows that driving instructors are in a precarious position.

She said: “If we were to go back into lockdown again then I think that driving lessons would be the first to go as we were the last back.

“I don’t think the government will have the money to pay us again, so we all need to be really careful and just do what we are told."