Major new changes to driving tests are set to come into effect under new plans set to be introduced by Labour. Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander has confirmed the introduction of tough new DVSA driving test rules to clamp down on the exploitation of learners.
Under the plans, only learner drivers will be able to book a driving test, with third parties banned from the DVSA booking site. It’s hoped that this measure will prevent online “bots” from claiming test slots and reselling them at higher prices elsewhere. Ms Alexander made the announcement while addressing the Transport Select Committee as she was quizzed over the current state of tests in the UK.
The Transport Secretary said: “We’re introducing a legislative change which will mean that only the driver themselves can book a test. This is to try to stop people being exploited by bots that are operating online. We are going to be limiting the number of times that a driver can move or swap a test, and we will also limit the area that they can move a test to once they’ve booked it.”
Steve Gooding, director of the RAC Foundation, backed the move, suggesting that candidates waiting for tests should be ahead of those “hoping to make a quick buck”.
But, he called on the Transport Secretary to address waiting list concerns after Ms Alexander confirmed she could no longer commit to reducing wait times to under seven weeks by summer 2026.
Steve said: “What will really deter the touts and tackle the queues would be a return to the more reasonable pre-Covid waiting time for tests, which we hope the arrival of a platoon of military examiners alongside the new DVSA recruits will help deliver.”
Ms Alexander confirmed that the Government had recruited an additional 316 driving examiners, but would rely on military help. An extra 36 Defence Driving Examiners (DDEs) will conduct tests one day a week for 12 months in a bid to cut down on waiting times.
DVSA data from September 2025 shows that as many as 668,128 people are currently waiting for a driving test across the country.
The Transport Secretary added: “We do need to see more progress there. We are giving driving examiners an extraordinary retention payment next year of £5,000, to be split between a payment in March and a payment in September. Anecdotally, we’re hearing that this is stopping some driving examiners from retiring early or encouraging them to delay their retirement.”