A MAN says he is being stopped from taking his partner on a festive holiday as he has been stripped of his driving licence.
Gary Bishop, from Ponthir, and his partner, Julie Jones, from Lliswerry, have been looking forward to their festive holiday together for months, having booked it much earlier in the year.
However, Mr Bishop, 59, due to turn 60 in February of next year, has said that his mental health situation has led to his driving licence being taken away from him.
He was diagnosed with bipolar disorder a few years ago, and as a result, had to report this medical diagnosis to the Driver, Vehicle and Licensing Agency (DVLA) as required by law, as it is classed as a medical condition that could affect his ability to drive.
Mr Bishop said he has been receiving psychiatric support since his diagnosis and has been on medication to help him deal with it but is expected to be off the medication by January 2025.
He told the Argus that his medical professionals had sent his ‘medical licence’ application to the DVLA in July this year, with the forms then given to his psychiatrist in August, with his assertive outreach worker assuring him that the forms had been filled out correctly and the information he had been required to give to the DVLA would be sent to the correct department.
He said: “It was my understanding that the DVLA now have all my information and my full application, and it was just a case of waiting for a response to say it had been all approved so we could get on with going on holiday.
“I’ve been having my medication for bipolar disorder reduced greatly in recent months, and by the start of the new year, I’ll be off it, so this seems like a really big hassle.”
However, Mr Bishop was told just a few weeks ago that his current medical professional has the medical forms, and they are yet to be officially delivered to the DVLA.
He added: “I feel like I’m going round in circles. I don’t know when I’m likely to get my licence back.
“I would very much like to go for a short holiday with my girlfriend, but to do that, I need to hire a car, and I can’t do that without a licence or a special code from the DVLA.
“It’s just so frustrating. We are going to have to reschedule our holiday now.”
Anyone who does not inform the DVLA of a medical condition that could affect their driving could be fined up to £1,000.
A DVLA spokesperson said: “When considering an application to issue a driving licence, we aim to make a decision as quickly as possible.
“However, when we require additional information from a medical professional or the driver themselves, we are wholly reliant on receiving this information before a decision can be made.”