Speed awareness courses have been suspended after it was deemed “no longer appropriate” to bring drivers together in classrooms.

Norfolk County Council has informed those waiting to attend driver education courses that all National Driver Offender Retraining Scheme (NDORS) sessions have been suspended until the end of June, due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

A statement released by NDORS said: “As a result of the unprecedented unfolding events and following consultation with chief constable Bangham, the National Police Chiefs’ Council lead for roads policing, it is no longer appropriate nor proportionate for police forces to offer classroom based education courses, which brings members of the public together in one place, as an alternative to prosecution for motoring offences covered by NDORS.”

MORE: Warning over HMRC tax refund calls and emails

An initial suspension of 12 weeks came into force on Friday, with the subsequent government lockdown coming into place on Monday due to the coronavirus outbreak, urging people to stay at home as much as possible and banning pubic gatherings of more than two people, other than those you live with.

The statement concluded: “This is the right thing to do to help protect individual health and reduce the risks associated with a wider spread of the virus.

“We will now work with forces and course providers to establish options to deal with drivers who have already been offered a course.

“You will be contacted to explain what is going to happen next by the police force who issued you the offer or your course provider (if you booked a course).

“You will hopefully understand that this is a massive undertaking and we would ask that you allow the Police and Course providers some time to work through everything.”

For further details, go to ndors.org.uk or norfolkcourses.org

- Click here to subscribe to our daily coronavirus newsletter, with all the latest from where you live.