BBC News
· collected 2026-09-09 · by Katy Austin, Emer Moreau, Simon Browning
Learner drivers face an average 20-week waiting period before booking a practical test, according to the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA). This is despite attempts by the agency to reduce delays, with some improvements but no significant changes. Over 2.13 million tests took place in the past year, but many learners still struggle to book a test due to long wait times. The DVSA has implemented measures such as allowing only learner drivers to book their own tests and restricting test date swaps, but experts say more needs to be done to address the issue.
Written by the local model on 2026-09-09,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Story summary
Learner drivers in the UK are waiting an average of 20 weeks before being able to book a practical driving test, despite attempts to reduce delays. The latest figures from the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) show only a slight improvement from 20.2 weeks in July. This wait time has been unchanged for 11.1 weeks, since booking and sitting the test. Initially, the DVSA had set a target of reducing waiting times to 7 weeks by the end of last year, but Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander later pushed this back to summer 2026, admitting it was no longer achievable. To alleviate some of these delays, changes were made to the test booking system in recent months, including requiring learners to book their own tests and limiting the number of times a driver can swap a test date. These measures have had little impact on reducing waiting times, leaving many drivers feeling under pressure to pass.
Written for “Learner Driver Test Delays” on 2026-09-09,
grounded in this article and the 0 other(s) covering the same event.
Why this leaning score
The article's own words the score was based on. Each is quoted
verbatim and was checked against the article text before being
stored, so you can find it in the original.
-
The DVSA initially had a target of reducing the average waiting time to seven weeks by the end of last year.
left criticizes the government's initial failure to meet its own target
-
Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander pushed the target back to summer 2026, but subsequently admitted even that would not be possible.
left criticizes the government for setting unrealistic targets and failing to meet them
-
The DVSA made a number of changes to its practical driving test booking system earlier this year. Only the learner driver themself is now able to book their driving test, blocking an instructor or third parties from booking using the learner's details.
left describes government actions as 'blocking' and implies they are restrictive
Leaning score -0.45 for article 7306 (medium confidence, 3 verified quotes) · logged 2026-09-09
- Published
Learner drivers have to wait an average 20 weeks before booking a practical test, according to new figures, despite attempts to reduce delays.
uncertain
drivers → publish → delays
The average wait time between booking and sitting a test is unchanged at 11.1 weeks.
asserted
time → book → weeks
The DVSA initially had a target of reducing the average waiting time to seven weeks by the end of last year.
asserted
DVSA → have → year
Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander pushed the target back to summer 2026, but subsequently admitted even that would not be possible.
asserted
that → push → summer
The DVSA made a number of changes to its practical driving test booking system earlier this year.
asserted
DVSA → make → system
Only the learner driver themself is now able to book their driving test, blocking an instructor or third parties from booking using the learner's details.
asserted
driver → book → details
There is also a geographical restriction which means a learner can only book a test at their three local test centres, rather than one at the other side of the country if they found a test available.
asserted
test → be → country
The number of times a would-be driver can swap a test date has also been restricted.
asserted
driver → swap → date
I feel a lot of pressure to pass'
asserted
I → feel → pressure
Lucy Rend is 19 and lives in south east London and has been learning to drive for two-and-a-half years.
asserted
Rend → live → years
She has a driving test on Thursday and feels under pressure to pass because getting a slot has been so difficult.
asserted
getting → have → slot
It meant getting up at 5.45am everyday to get on the DVSA for 6am.
asserted
It → mean → 6
"Then I'd be 21,000 in the queue," she said.
asserted
she → say → queue
"It was very hard but randomly one popped up."
asserted
one → pop → ?
Rend: "I feel lots of pressure to pass because if I don't pass I will have to go through all that again and try find another test, so would rather pass this one and then it is done."
asserted
it → feel → one
Her friends are also struggling to book a test and "most of them have given up and not going to bother anymore".
asserted
most → struggle → them
'More to do'
The DVSA said on Wednesday that more than 2.13 million practical driving tests took place in the 12 months to August 2026 – the highest rolling 12-month figure on record.
asserted
tests → do → record
DVSA chief executive Beverley Warmington, said: "There's more to do and we're not going to stop until every learner can get a fair test slot when they need one but today's figures show our plan is working."
asserted
plan → say → one
Carly Brookfield, the chief executive of the Driving Instructors Association, said the higher number of available tests was "progress that should be recognised" but, for learners and instructors "the pressure is still very real".
asserted
pressure → say → learners
"The ultimate measure of recovery has to be a testing service that learners and the professional training community can access when they need it," she said.
asserted
she → have → it
Adem Veli, who has been an instructor for 16 years and runs his driving school Passman in Sidcup, said: "Before Covid we had the luxury we could pick the test date and work towards that date."
But he said learners having to wait so long can have a huge impact on their confidence.
uncertain
having → run → confidence
"It's about a six month wait," he said.
asserted
he → say → ?
"Can you imagine if you did fail your driving test, you're test standard and ready to go [but] have to wait another six months to get back in?"
asserted
you → imagine → test
DVSA figures revealed that the pass rate for driving tests remains over 50%.
asserted
rate → reveal → tests
Veli said that some of the changes the DVSA has made have been positive, such as limiting the number of swaps a learner can make.
asserted
learner → say → swaps
However, while the DVSA has made changes to stop third parties booking tests, Veli said: "I get messages weekly, they're trying to sell them to me.
asserted
they → make → me
"I've had students ask me about this site or that site, but I tell them don't bother with it now as there's so many scams."
asserted
I → have → it
