Military driving examiners will be deployed to rural areas as part of a series of initiatives to assist learner drivers in obtaining their licenses. Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander has promised prompt actions to prevent bots and intermediaries from booking and reselling driving tests at inflated prices.
Acknowledging the delay in reducing the average waiting time for booking tests, the Cabinet minister disclosed that the current waiting time was 21.8 weeks by the end of June, missing the target of seven weeks by summer 2026. The new strategy involves utilizing military examiners to conduct tests for civilians, potentially adding 6,500 more tests at high-demand locations over the next year.
The Department for Transport also revealed a change that restricts test bookings to only learner drivers, eliminating the ability for instructors to book on their behalf. This change aims to prevent third parties from reselling tests at exorbitant prices. The move comes in response to reports of individuals falling victim to scammers posing as test sellers on social media platforms.
Additionally, new regulations will limit learner drivers to two changes for their driving tests before requiring a rebooking, with a focus on test centers close to the original booking location. Official data from DVSA shows that as of the end of October, 642,000 learner drivers in Britain had future test bookings.
The initiative will involve 36 Defence Driving Examiners from the Ministry of Defence conducting driving tests one day a week for a year, with a £100,000 charge to the DVSA. These examiners, typically responsible for testing service personnel, will primarily focus on car driving tests while also being available for vocational tests if necessary, positioning them at high-demand test centers.
Transport Secretary Alexander emphasized the importance of providing equal opportunities for all learners to take their tests promptly, emphasizing that the new measures will lead to more tests being available, facilitating quicker progress for learners. Armed Forces minister Al Carns commended the collaboration between military and civilian personnel, highlighting their commitment to supporting civilian testing efforts to benefit the public.
Emma Bush, the managing director of AA Driving School, expressed optimism that the additional support from military examiners will help reduce waiting times for driving tests and deter unethical test resellers. Bush emphasized the necessity of sustained efforts to address the backlog of tests effectively and ensure a smoother testing process for learners.
