Driving Test Backlog Persists Despite New Measures
The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) is not expected to achieve its target of a seven-week average waiting time for driving tests until autumn 2025, according to the Transport Secretary. This timeline represents a further postponement of the initial goal.
Latest figures from the DVSA indicate that the average waiting period for a driving test last month was approximately 22 weeks. This contrasts sharply with the pre-pandemic average of around five weeks.
Government Initiatives to Address Delays and Fraud
Last November, changes were announced to tackle the extended waiting times and prevent the illicit resale of test slots, often facilitated by bots. Measures already implemented include restricting test bookings to the learner drivers themselves.
The Transport Secretary acknowledged the frustrations experienced by learner drivers and emphasized the government's efforts to mitigate the issue. However, she also noted the persistently high demand for tests and the substantial work still required.
The BBC has previously reported on the difficulties learner drivers face in securing convenient test slots, with some resorting to purchasing slots from resellers at significantly inflated prices. A December investigation by the BBC also uncovered instances of driving instructors being offered incentives to provide their login details to touts.
Recent Changes to the Booking System
In recent months, several modifications have been introduced to the driving test booking system:
- Since late March, a new rule limits changes to a booked slot (e.g., date or location) to just two instances.
- As of May 12, only the pupil can book their driving test, preventing instructors or others from doing so.
- From June 9, test takers wishing to reschedule their test can only move it to one of the three test centres geographically closest to their originally booked test location. This aims to prevent learners from booking the earliest available slot anywhere and then swapping it to a more convenient location.
The Transport Secretary informed Members of Parliament that while it is premature to draw definitive conclusions, initial data suggests a reduction in speculative bookings since the latest changes, with test swaps reportedly decreasing by 70%.
She expressed an aspiration to return to a situation where learners do not face months-long waits for a test, which is currently the reality for some in certain areas.
Examiner Recruitment and Data Transparency
Recruiting and retaining sufficient driving examiners has been identified as a contributing factor to the backlog. The Transport Secretary reported a net increase of 147 examiners in the 12 months leading up to May.
Furthermore, concerns about the utility of currently published average wait time figures were raised. A commitment was made to modify routinely published statistics to include breakdowns by individual driving test centres, aiming to provide more helpful information.
Source: Driving test wait time target will not be met until autumn next year