The Government is planning a major shake-up of how driving tests are booked, aiming to tackle record wait times, black-market bookings, and accusations that examiners are making tests easier to clear backlogs.
For months, learner drivers have faced waits of several months for a practical driving test. Making things worse, shady operators have used bots to snap up test slots, reselling them for up to £200.
While unfair, selling driving test slots isn’t illegal in the UK right now. But Minister for the Future of Roads, Lilian Greenwood, says new rules could change that. The government plans to ban test resales and is working to shut down websites that enable this scam. Yet, many learners are still left stranded after scammers steal their details to book tests for profit.
Another proposal could let learners book tests even earlier than the current 24-week maximum. But if you land a slot, cancelling will get tougher—you’ll need to give 10 days’ notice instead of three to avoid losing your £62 fee.
Learners who fail with multiple serious faults or mistreat their examiner might face longer waits before rebooking. Not showing up for a test at all could also result in fines.
The Government is also promising to train 450 new driving examiners. However, it’s unclear if this will boost overall numbers. Recent reports to the Transport Select Committee revealed that despite hiring more examiners, poor staff retention and high resignation rates have kept the DVSA’s headcount stagnant.
