The Driving Standards Agency's (DSA's) fraud and integrity team is currently investigating more than 400 cases of suspected illegal driving instruction nationwide, including a number of cases in Greater Manchester.

Offenders include part-qualified instructors whose trainee licences have expired, those who have never entered the process at all and those who were previously on the register but have been removed from it.

Registered instructors now undergo criminal record checks to ensure they are "fit and proper" candidates to become qualified instructors so it is of increasing importance that they are registered. The says it cannot reveal how many suspected bogus driving instructors are currently being investigated in Greater Manchester or name them due to the sensitive nature of the on-going investigations.

The organisation is urging people to make thorough checks to ensure their driving instructor is legitimate before they book lessons.

The DSA's deputy head of fraud and integrity, Michelle Moston, said: "If illegal instructors are on our roads they have not passed the DSA's rigorous three-part test to ensure that they are meeting the highest standards of safety. This puts all our lives at risk.
"The fraud and integrity team is doing all it can, but we do need the public's help.

"Suspected illegal instructors will be sent a letter from the DSA and this very often acts to deter them.''

The DSA says members of the public should ensure their driving instructor is displaying an in-date pink licence or green certificate in their windscreen.