Driving test backlog forces learners to pay up to £500 to resellers
Learners pay hundreds to resellers as driving test delays continue
- The average waiting time for a driving test in Britain is 22 weeks, a significant increase from five weeks before the Covid pandemic.
- The National Audit Office (NAO) reports that the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) is not expected to meet its target of reducing waiting times to seven weeks until November 2027, two years later than initially planned.
- The backlog was worsened by Covid restrictions preventing 1.1 million tests, and the DVSA has struggled to recruit and retain enough examiners due to uncompetitive pay and safety concerns.
- Nearly one in three learners is paying third parties up to £500 to secure test slots, with automated programmes frequently used to book available slots, hindering the DVSA's ability to gauge true demand.
- The NAO recommends decisive action to restore a fit-for-purpose service, while the government plans to use military driving examiners and combat the reselling of test slots.