Government announces plans to clear vast backlog of driving tests in England

Learner drivers are set for reduced waiting times for driving tests in England, as the Transport Secretary announced new measures aimed at providing thousands of extra driving tests each month.

The Government also revealed its plan to tackle test-buying bots, which had added to the woes of leaners looking to take their tests.

Heidi Alexander stated that the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) will now ramp up its efforts to decrease waiting times and enhance access to driving tests across the country.

These initiatives are part of the government's broader Plan for Change, designed to reduce barriers to opportunity and improve fairness in the driving test process.

To increase the availability of driving tests and help break down these barriers, the Transport Secretary has outlined a series of new measures.

Individuals currently in other roles within the DVSA who are qualified to conduct driving tests will be asked to return to the frontline to assist with the delivery of practical driving tests.

The government will also double the number of permanent trainers to speed up the process of training new driving examiners.

This will help ensure that there are enough qualified examiners to handle the rising volume of test bookings and reduce wait times. DVSA will reintroduce overtime pay incentives for all those involved in delivering driving tests.

There will also be an accelerated consultation will be launched to investigate the potential abuse of the driving test booking system.

This will include measures to prevent bots from securing test slots unfairly, ensuring that all learner drivers have a fair chance to book a driving test.

The Government announce that these actions are designed to reduce waiting times for driving tests to just seven weeks by the summer of 2026.

Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander commented: “We inherited an enormous backlog of learners ready to ditch their L-plates but being forced to endure record waiting time for their tests.

“We simply cannot deliver on our Plan for Change if thousands remain held back, with their aspirations on pause.

“I am instructing DVSA to take further action immediately to reduce waiting times which will see thousands of additional tests made available every month. We’re acting fast to get Britain’s drivers moving.”

DVSA Driver Services Director, Pauline Reeves said: “Since December 2024, we’ve made significant progress on implementing our plan to reduce waiting times. But we know that many learner drivers are not seeing the immediate effects of the measures.

“The further action which the Secretary of State has announced today will help us to accelerate those measures, including expanding training capacity for newly recruited driving examiners so more of them can start carrying out driving tests sooner.”