GovWire

I am pleased to announce today (18 December 2024) that this government is taking decisive steps to address long waiting times for car practical driving tests.

A driving licence is a passport to employment, opportunities and better living standards for hundreds of thousands of people each year.

Across the country, waiting times for a car practical driving test are at 13 weeks in Wales, over 15 weeks in Scotland and nearly 21 weeks in England. These figures highlight a system under strain.

The proportion of 17 to 20 year olds with a full driving licence dropped from 35% in 2019 to 29% in 2023. This matters because 1 in 6 jobs requires a driving licence. The top occupations for young drivers include roles critical to our public services and economic growth: healthcare workers, construction trades and transport workers.

Learner drivers should be able to take a test when they are ready to pass. Yet thousands have had to wait many months for a test, with some being exploited by businesses taking advantage of long waiting times or having to travel hundreds of miles in the process.

Between April 2023 and March 2024, the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) provided over 2 million car driving tests. And it has over half a million driving tests booked in the next 24 weeks.

In response to increased demand, DVSA created an extra 145,000 test slots between October 2023 and March 2024 by redeploying eligible managers and administrative staff to conduct tests. DVSA has also reviewed its recruitment process and increased its efforts to recruit and train driving examiners. But the case for further action is undeniable.

So today, I am setting out the robust plan I have asked DVSA to deliver to tackle this issue head on, while it helps to keep Britain moving safely and sustainably.

First, we will recruit and train 450 driving examiners. This will aim to significantly increase the workforce and ensure that examiners are available in high-demand areas, reducing waiting times for learners across the country.

Second, we will increase the notice period for changing or cancelling a test without losing the fee from 3 to 10 working days. This will minimise last-minute disruptions and ensure that cancelled slots can be reallocated to those ready to take their test.

Third, we will review and improve the rules around booking tests, including measures to ban the resale of driving test appointments. This will ensure fairer access to test slots and stop the profiteering that disadvantages learners.

Fourth, we will strengthen terms and conditions for driver training businesses managing test bookings. This will improve the efficiency of the booking system, making it harder for those looking to exploit learner drivers to secure test dates.

Fifth, we will consult on introducing longer waiting times to rebook a test for candidates who fail by making multiple serious or dangerous faults, abusing driving examiners or failing to attend their test and we will consider a penalty fee for those who fail to attend. This will discourage bad behaviour and ensure that examiners time is respected.

Sixth, we will explore allowing learner drivers to book tests further in advance than the current 24-week limit. This will give learners more certainty in planning their preparation and reduce the stress of finding available slots.

And finally, we will expand the successful Ready to Pass? campaign to help learners throughout the whole process of learning to drive. This will increase the likelihood of learners passing their test the first time, reducing overall demand on the system.

These measures are practical, targeted and designed to address the issues facing the driving test system.

But I have to be clear: there is no quick fix to the current situation. It will take time for us to tackle the root causes of this issue, fix the broken system this government inherited and build a robust system for the future.

I am also pleased to announce today the publication of DVSAs 2024 to 2025 business plan.

This plan sets out the main business priorities the agency will deliver, including measures on the delivery of the car practical driving test that underpins the measures I have just announced, as well as the key performance indicators by which DVSAs performance will be assessed.

This plan allows service users and members of the public to understand DVSAs plans for delivering its services and managing its finances.

The business plan will be available electronically on GOV.UK and copies will be placed in the libraries of both Houses.