DRIVING assessors have been ordered to meet targets by handing out more licences to learner drivers considered "incompetent" and "dangerous", internal Department of Transport correspondence shows.

Emails obtained by The Sunday Times reveal that two Morley-based examiners were threatened by management with the sack unless they lifted their pass rates.

They were moved from the branch after repeated warnings and told to improve their passes from 30 per cent and 34 per cent respectively to between 45 and 55 per cent.

The examiners declined to be named for fear of losing their jobs, but said they "assessed to a standard and refused to hand out licences to clients who were incompetent or dangerous".

The emails have sparked calls from the RAC and other organisations for an investigation to ensure road safety isn't being compromised by pressure on assessors to pass learner drivers.

"If there is any evidence to suggest that sub-standard drivers are being granted licences we would expect this issue to be thoroughly investigated by the Government," RAC spokesman Matt Brown said.

The Community and Public Sector Union said the "intimidating" emails amounted to "bullying" and "sent a blatant message to all DoT assessors in WA to meet targets and put business and statistics ahead of road safety".

Transport Minister Troy Buswell yesterday declined to comment.

The DoT insisted no formal instruction had been given to driving assessors to lift pass rates. But the statement is contradicted by the emails.

In them, the Morley driver and vehicle services branch manager told the assessors, who were temporarily shifted from Morley to Midland and City West three months ago, "to demonstrate a consistent improvement" and "maintain improved pass rates".

In 2009, she accused them of having pass rates so low "as to be almost ridiculous", yet added that she did not expect the examiners to pass applicants who could not drive.

"Do either of you expect the department to continue employing an assessor who fails this percentage of applicants consistently, without seeking to have these concerns addressed?" she wrote.

In another email last year, she told an examiner he would not return to Morley "at this time" and his figures needed to improve. "You are expected to work toward achieving and maintaining a pass rate commensurate with that at City West (the medium range pass rate at City West is 45-55 per cent) for a period of six months, which is considered a suitable period of time to demonstrate a consistent improvement," she wrote.

In one email, she told the assessors she has received complaints about them because of their low pass rates.

In a statement to The Sunday Times DoT driver and vehicle services general manager Michael D'souza said: "The department's policy is to assess drivers to the national standards and we do not impose quotas.

"We take drivers licence assessments very seriously and we regularly audit assessments to ensure they comply with the national standards."

CPSU branch secretary Toni Walkington questioned scrutiny on the pass rates and said roads would become more dangerous if driving standards were diminished.

Australian Driver Trainers' Association president Des Wood described the demands as "scandalous". "No pressure should be put on assessors they operate under strict guidelines," he said.

Shadow transport spokesman Ken Travers said the Barnett Government had a history of bullying and running down licensing services.

The number of assessors in Morley has dropped to just two and practical test wait times have ballooned to 3.9 weeks.

The CPSU said they manage 168 tests a fortnight, compared with 588 when there were seven assessors based at the centre.