Skip advert
Advertisement

Learner drivers left frustrated with “unacceptable” driving test wait times

New data shows average wait times of as long as 14 weeks face new drivers booking tests across the UK

Leaner driver

Learner drivers across the country are being faced with an average of a 14-week wait when trying to book a driving test, with new data revealing that wait times are “still above pre-pandemic levels”.

A Freedom of Information request by the AA Driving School has uncovered that 45 per cent of test centres are experiencing similar or worse delays than before the COVID-19 pandemic, with 245 centres across the nation reporting a wait time of over six weeks. That’s not all, as nearly two-fifths (37 per cent) of test centres are experiencing wait times as long as five months or more. 

These figures, regarded as “unacceptably high” by the AA, have been recorded four months into a new six-month programme by the Driving Standards Agency (DVSA) in which it intends to provide an additional 150,000 tests by the end of March 2024.

Advertisement - Article continues below

Still, while this does go some way to tackle the backlog, learner drivers should still expect a lengthy wait for their test; since the action by the DVSA began, the average wait has dropped from 18.7 to the reported 14.5 weeks. Additionally, while 151 centres were reporting 24-week waits at the end of last year, this has since dropped to 91 centres (28 per cent) in January.

Of course, there are some winners in this new DVSA scheme; seven centres including Bury St. Edmunds, Exeter and Ipswich all reported wait times dropping by as much as 23 weeks to just one week since October last year. That said, others, including Taunton and Peterhead, saw rises in wait times, the latter by a staggering 23 weeks.

Managing Director of AA Driving School, Camilla Benitz, expressed their disappointment, saying: “[It’s] unacceptable that we are now almost two years post-pandemic restrictions and learner drivers and instructors are still suffering the consequences.

 “For many people being able to drive is not a luxury – it is a necessity to get them to work, education and facilitate their social life.”

The standard cost for a practical driving test in the UK stands at £62, rising to £75 during the evening (after 4:30pm), weekends and bank holidays.

Click here for our list of the best first cars for new drivers...

Skip advert
Advertisement
Consumer reporter

Tom is Auto Express' Consumer reporter, meaning he spends his time investigating the stories that matter to all motorists - enthusiasts or otherwise. An ex-BBC journalist and Multimedia Journalism graduate, Tom previously wrote for partner sites Carbuyer and DrivingElectric and you may also spot him throwing away his dignity by filming videos for the Auto Express social media channels.

Find a car with the experts

Skip advert
Advertisement

Recommended

Government pledges to cut practical driving test delays
New driver tearing up an L-plate

Government pledges to cut practical driving test delays

Waiting times for driving tests will be reduced to just seven weeks by the end of next summer, according to the DfT
News
24 Apr 2025
Driving test bookings: long waiting lists, frauds and costs

Driving test bookings: long waiting lists, frauds and costs

The time you wait to take a driving test has increased as much as 250% in the last five years, as government drafts measures to combat waiting lists
News
16 Apr 2025
Cheapest cars to insure in the UK 2025
Cheapest cars to insure - header image

Cheapest cars to insure in the UK 2025

These are the cars with the lowest insurance group ratings in the UK today
Best cars & vans
22 Jan 2025
Best learner driver cars 2025
Best learner driver cars - header image

Best learner driver cars 2025

Easy to drive, affordable, and inexpensive to run, these are our top 10 used cars to learn in
Best cars & vans
14 Jan 2025

Most Popular

New Kia PV5 Passenger MPV undercuts the VW ID.Buzz by a huge £25k
Kia PV5 Passenger - show front

New Kia PV5 Passenger MPV undercuts the VW ID.Buzz by a huge £25k

New entry into the electric people carrier market undercuts the VW ID. Buzz by a significant margin
News
29 Apr 2025
Car Deal of the Day: BMW’s ultimate luxury SUV at an unusually low price
BMW X7 - front

Car Deal of the Day: BMW’s ultimate luxury SUV at an unusually low price

German firm’s flagship SUV could never be called cheap but it is exceptional value at £735 a month – making it our Deal of the Day for Sunday 27 April
News
27 Apr 2025
New 2025 Kia PV5 van starts from a tempting £22,645
Kia PV5 Cargo on display at Commercial Vehicle Show - front 3/4

New 2025 Kia PV5 van starts from a tempting £22,645

All-new entry into the van market promises competitive pricing and comes with a range of up to 247 miles
News
30 Apr 2025