'I was 11,000th in the queue': Learner drivers struggle with test backlog
Summary
Learner drivers in the UK are having a tough time booking their driving tests due to a backlog (which means a line of things waiting to be done). The wait times are so long that some people have started using apps that let them know when new test slots become available.Key Facts
- Many learner drivers are struggling to book driving tests because there's a big backlog.
- Stephen Dawes, a 26-year-old learner driver, was number 11,000 in the online queue to book his test.
- The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) releases new test slots at 6:00 a.m. on Mondays, which is when many learners rush to book.
- An analysis found that the average waiting time for a driving test across all test centers in Great Britain is 22 weeks.
- The Transport Secretary, Heidi Alexander, plans to decrease the wait time to no more than seven weeks by 2026.
- Some learners are even paying for apps that tell them when new test slots are open.
- Some learners are having to pay for extra lessons because their test date is so far in the future.
- Learners are worrying about their theory tests expiring, as they only last for two years and are needed to take the practical test.
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