Government to hire hundreds of driving examiners to address test wait times

The government has declared its intention to recruit hundreds of driving examiners in an effort to reduce “sky-high” waiting periods for driving tests. Lilian Greenwood, the minister for the future of roads, stated that “no one should have to wait six months when they’re ready to pass” their driving test and recognized the existence of a “huge” backlog. This recruitment initiative forms a component of a broader governmental strategy aimed at decreasing waiting times to seven weeks by December 2025. However, driving instructors have labeled the existing system a “nightmare” and voiced skepticism regarding the effectiveness of the suggested modifications. Data released by the Department for Transport (DfT) earlier in the year showed that 1.9 million driving tests were conducted in the 12 months leading up to the end of March, marking a record volume. The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) has outlined a strategy to address extended waiting periods, which includes learners incurring higher costs for tests reserved by third-party entities seeking financial gain. One of the announced measures involves the recruitment and training of 450 driving examiners throughout Great Britain. To deter late cancellations, the DVSA intends to extend the timeframe for modifying or canceling a test without financial penalty from three working days to 10 working days prior to the test date. Furthermore, a consultation will be held regarding suggestions to lengthen the waiting period for learners to book subsequent tests if they fail due to serious or dangerous errors. Currently, learner drivers must observe a 10-working-day waiting period before rebooking. The existing regulations permitting tests to be booked up to 24 weeks in advance will also be reviewed to explore the possibility of learners scheduling appointments even further into the future. Ms Greenwood commented that successfully completing a driving test represented “a life changing opportunity for millions,” but noted that “sky-high waiting times for tests in recent years have denied that opportunity to too many people.” She asserted, “No one should have to wait six months when they’re ready to pass, travel to the other side of the country to take a driving test or be ripped off by unscrupulous websites just because they can’t afford to wait.” “The scale of the backlog we have inherited is huge,” she added, “but today’s measures are a crucial step to tackle the long driving test wait times, protect learner drivers from being exploited, and support more people to hit the road.” Kitty Bell, a learner driver, recounted having a test scheduled for 16 December, which she postponed a few weeks prior after “panicked.” The Durham University student performed a mock test with her instructor and, feeling the pressure, stated she “forgot everything,” leading her to conclude she required additional practice. Expecting to secure a new test slot in March, Ms Bell was disheartened upon discovering that the earliest available appointment was in May 2025. “That’s five months to wait, that’s insane,” she remarked. Diana Mulrain, who has instructed learner drivers in Hendon, north-west London, for over 40 years, participates in a WhatsApp group where local instructors exchange test slots for their pupils. She characterized the present system as an “absolute nightmare,” noting that students are encouraged to attempt the test prematurely to circumvent lengthy waits for retesting. Mrs Mulrain asserted that the DVSA had not sufficiently tackled the problem of test slots being reserved by brokers. She argued that increasing the number of driving examiners merely expands the quantity of tests available for third parties to acquire, and she expressed uncertainty about how these businesses were being stopped from operating. She proposed, “What they should do is to stop all bookings other than (for) the pupil. One credit card, one licence, one test. End of.” A DVSA spokesperson stated: “The measures will help make the driving test booking system fairer for learners, better protecting them from exploitation, and continue to provide them with the tools to help them pass their test.” The spokesperson further mentioned that the agency is soliciting feedback regarding its booking system and procedures. The government indicates that updated terms and conditions for driving tests will become effective on 6 January 2025, which “make it clear that driving instructors and businesses must not book driving tests on behalf of learner drivers they are not teaching.” It also specifies that only driving instructors or businesses employing instructors are permitted to utilize the service for booking car driving tests. Helen Ansell, an instructor in Cornwall for four years, expressed that she was “not very hopeful” that the proposed changes would yield any significant difference. She put forward the idea that students should maintain a training log to prevent learner drivers from occupying test slots when unprepared. “Once they’ve done a certain numbers of hours with an instructor, say 20 hours, that’s when they can book a test,” she stated. The BBC has reached out to the DfT for a statement regarding the concerns raised by driving instructors. Further reporting was provided by Anna Lamche. Copyright 2024 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC disclaims responsibility for the content of external websites. Information on its external linking policy is available.