The UK government has issued an update to learner drivers on their attempts to tackle the record waiting times for practical driving tests.
As of last month, the average wait time to undergo the test was 22.3 weeks – almost six months.
This backlog means learner drivers are forced to either wait ages while still forking out for lessons or gamble it all and book a practical slot before they are ready just to secure a test appointment in advance.
The number of future tests booked reached 644,398 last month, which is one of the months of the year when the fewest tests are conducted, partly because of summer holidays.
The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVSA) has previously attributed the backlog to an increase in demand and some people booking their test much earlier than before, reports the Manchester Evening News.
Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander said in April her department aimed to reduce the average waiting time for driving tests in Britain to seven weeks by summer 2026.
The Government recently consulted on amending the driving test booking system, in an attempt to stop bots mass-booking new slots so they can be resold on the black market for inflated prices.
In the House of Commons last Friday, former Secretary of State for Transport Lilian Greenwood was asked what she makes of the potential benefits of increasing the number of driving test examiners and introducing a greater number of out-of-hours tests.
Ms Greenwood responded by emphasising that the DVSA’s primary focus is maintaining road safety standards, and her department is striving to decrease car practical driving test waiting times.
“The DVSA continues to run recruitment campaigns for examiners,” she said.
Her department has also reintroduced overtime pay incentives and called for volunteers from those currently in other roles (but qualified to examine) to conduct practical driving tests.
When asked if her department would consider extending the validity period for driving theory tests to three years, Ms Greenwood replied: “The maximum duration of two years between passing the theory test and a subsequent practical test is in place to ensure a customer’s road safety knowledge and ability to identify developing hazards is current.”
She added: “This validity period is set in legislation, and the Government has no current plans to lay further legislation to extend it.
“It is important road safety knowledge and hazard perception skills are up to date at the critical point a person drives unsupervised for the first time.
“Ensuring learner drivers have current relevant knowledge and skills is a vital part of the learning to drive process as new drivers are disproportionately casualties on our roads,” concluded Ms Greenwood.
“Learners therefore need to pass another theory test if their two-year theory test certificate expires.”
The Manchester Evening News recently reported on the rise of ‘broker-type sellers in WhatsApp channels’ who are selling last-minute appointments at exorbitant prices.
These fraudsters are capitalising on the backlog to ‘exploit’ learners, often charging desperate individuals significantly more than the standard DVSA rate of £62.