THE gap between male and female driving test pass rates has not changed in Redditch during the coronavirus pandemic, figures suggest, despite the gender gap shrinking to a record low nationally.

The RAC said it is encouraging to see the gender gap narrowing nationally, but warned "time will tell" if the trend continues as driving test numbers recover following Covid-related disruption.

Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency data shows that of 545 tests taken by male drivers at Redditch Test Centre between April and June, 249 were successful – a pass rate of 46 per cent.

Meanwhile, 44 per cent of 488 tests taken by women were passed over this period.

Figures for this period in 2020 were unavailable for Redditch, when tests were cancelled due to lockdown restrictions.

Women had a success rate of 43 per cent during the same period in 2019 – compared to 45 per cent for men, meaning there was a gap of two percentage points between the genders.

In the first quarter of 2018-19, the gap was six percentage points.

Across Great Britain, 49.2 per cent of tests taken by women between April and June were passed – a higher proportion than during any similar period on record, and up from 47.1 per cent in 2020-21 as a whole.

Though the male success rate also rose, the gap between the two genders (4.7 percentage points) is now the closest it has ever been – previously peaking at 7.3 in 2018.

An RAC spokesperson said: “The impact of the pandemic means we’re in unusual times when it comes to driving tests.

"While it’s encouraging that the gender driving test pass ‘gap’ appears to be closing, only time will tell whether this is a trend that continues as the number of people taking tests starts to return to normal.”