Driving test backlog to be cleared by next summer, UK pledges

The transport secretary has pledged to reduce the number of learner drivers in England waiting more than five months to sit practical tests.

Heidi Alexander said the government would aim to clear the backlog by next summer, providing at least 10,000 extra driving tests a month to help tackle the issue.

Current driving test wait times are “totally unacceptable”, she told parliament’s transport committee on Wednesday.

There is a minimum six-month wait to book a driving test in several areas of the UK, according to data from the AA.

Alexander also revealed plans to double training capacity so more driving examiners would be available and said she was asking those in other Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) roles who are qualified to examine to temporarily “return to the frontline”.

She said it would also reintroduce overtime pay incentives for everyone delivering driving tests.

The transport secretary said the measures would help reduce waiting times to no more than 7 weeks by summer 2026.

She said a record 1.95 million tests were booked last year but the government would now consult on changes to the test booking system.

Alexander also revealed a plan to crackdown on test booking bots which she said were “exploiting learners”.

Test booking bots are automated software which can act much faster than a human to rapidly book an appointment on the DVSA website.

Such bots can secure multiple test slots and some companies have used this technology to resell driving test slots at inflated prices.

Emma Bush, managing director of AA Driving School, welcomed the “further details of how the DVSA will meet its target waiting time of seven weeks by the end of the year”.

“Learner drivers have been dealing with frustratingly long waiting times to book a driving test since the easing of pandemic related restrictions several years ago,” she said.

“Many people, particularly young people, need to pass their driving test for their job or to access education. Unblocking the system by creating extra tests will help ensure people are not being held back due to a lack of a driving licence.”