To think the government need to pull their fingers out of their backsides with regards to driving tests?

Instructors are allowed to book multiple tests. Individuals can only book one test and need to provide their driving licence number and theory test pass code. You can use apps to help you cancel and re-book tests (eg to postpone a test or bring it forward), but you can't book multiple tests. That's why I think instructors are the problem - some dodgy instructors are booking more than they need and selling on the spares.

I also like the idea of turning up on the day to try and get in someone's cancelled/no show slot. That would surely help ease the backlog

I agree with this part of your comment - don't penalise people if they cancel at short notice, encourage them to do so and make it easy for them!

And maybe they should do the eye test at the theory test stage. In fact shouldn't instructors be doing this at the first lesson?

Where's the idea coming from that it's instructors causing this problem? It isn't! There may be a few of them doing it but they are not the root cause of the issue.

No, that isn't a good idea. Instructors book up slots for their own pupils, when they know they are available (or can make themselves available) and they can swap slots around depending on how ready a pupil is.

If you stop them doing that, people will book tests and then their instructor will be on holiday or just have another test at that time!

The problem with there being too few slots has two causes:

the shut down during covid which caused a massive backlog

the fact that bots are hoovering up slots because the powers that be can't or won't use Cloudflare or similar.

I completed a survey for the DVSA about this issue and I mentioned that driving instructors are selling on tests for ££££. They are even selling tests to other instructors, who then pass the test info to their students. It's ridiculous. The only people who should habe the ability to book tests are the learner drivers themselves.

I refuse to pay hundreds for a test that I might not even pass. I also like the idea of turning up on the day to try and get in someone's cancelled/no show slot. That would surely help ease the backlog?

Yes. Why hasn't it been done? Nobody knows.

I think most of us hoped the new government would sort out what has been allowed to become an inept and corrupt system. But so far, nothing much has changed.

Yep it annoys me that people are blaming bots. Bots only allow you to book or rebook your own test, so the net effect is zero. You aren’t taking away tests from someone else it just means you’re the quickest.

The problem is entirely caused by driving instructors booking tests with a dummy learner who never actually takes the test and then changing the name on it to whoever buys the slot off them.

My ex’s instructor offered him test slots and my colleague bought one. It’s a massive scam!

Could his instructor look at cancellations, I’m sure they have access to a different system.
My DC booked their test for August but got a cancellation in April through their instructor.
I agree something needs done with the system though, it’s ridiculous

This is happening not only for booking driving test but also on booking slots for other type of appointments (e.g., visa). It is all because of the prevalence of bots and people who created these bots then sell the bookeds slots by bots through various apps.

It is true that the booked slots price is not inflated. However, people still need to pay for these apps to book slots. The higher the number of people using apps, the difficulties of booking slots without apps will also increase. It doesn't matter how many slots are available, because as soon as they are made available, they are booked by these bots. Here is a good article explaining about bots: crucible.law/insights/bots-and-touts-a-summary-of-offences-potentially-committed-by-bot-owners-and-ticket-resellers

The only way to avoid this is to make sure that booking system can't be exploited by bots.

I’d happily become an examiner. I’m not sure what the process is but why aren’t they really pushing courses etc to become one?

So people could qualify as an instructor to set up a scam buying and selling test slots?
There would be harder ways of being a criminal I guess.

Is it possible to take a test abroad?
I don’t know the rules on transferring a foreign licence to a British licence but I believe people do it.

A lot of the responses are worries about the theory test running out because the person has failed 2 or 3 times. Surely if someone has failed the driving test once then anything then helps them to be a better driver (such as re taking the theory) is no bad thing. Also the argument about booking a test miles away in an area that they don't know is unfair, sorry but if you can only pass the test in a place that is familiar maybe not being allowed to be in charge of 2 tonnes of dangerous metal isn't a bad thing either.

Exactly. How has this not been changed?

OK then, surely the answer is to remove this privilege from instructors? It seems to be being abused and leading to all these problems.

Not unless you're an instructor. They can book without a licence number, so can make multiple bookings they may not need. Meanwhile ordinary individuals wanting one test, can't get a single test at any time. They might have a hope if they get up at 5 am on a Monday and get in a queue of 12000 people. But it won't be at your own test centre.

But then they advise people to “just book a test in any location and trade it” - which just adds to the problem.

I manage websites and block bots. It’s all a scam supported by the driving test website itself (whether that’s deliberate or not).

So much wrong with the current system, and banning driving instructors from using bots has had limited effect. I recently contacted the two ‘providers’ who I purchased tests from a couple of years ago (dc failed first test) and both have since been banned and only offer lessons now.

In my view the driving test fix needs to start by making sure all test slots are used. I was shocked to learn that my nearest test centre has around 10 wasted test bookings EACH DAY due to lateness, no shows, failed eye tests, and forgotten driving licence!

Remember back in the day when you could rock up to the airport in the hope of bagging a no-show / spare seat on a flight? That system could be applied to driving tests. I know won’t work for or suit all circumstances, but many pupils have their own or access to private vehicles suitable to take a test in.

Booking system should include a ‘waiting list’ option for a stated test centre to allow those who can get there and willing to hang around in the hope of a cancellation to make use of those slots. Not rocket science and will increase likelihood that every test slot is used. DC had own vehicle to practice in and nearest test centre literally 2 miles away and I would have been willing to spend a few days waiting in the hope for a cancellation, which would have been better than the additional ££££ I paid out to the bots route.

Yanbu. I think it's disgusting that the system has become so corrupt

We checked daily for cancellations and got one within a week

Without scrolling back @Untailoredsounds right. It’s just a sodding booking issue. Why it hasn’t been sorted is madness.

It’s awful, even though DC1 is 4 years off learning to drive I have huge sympathy with all the current learner drivers.

If anyone knows of a petition please let me know and I’ll willingly sign it, plus if anyone has a particularly proactive MP (sadly not me) it could be worth flagging the issue to them.

She has failed 3 times so I do need to worry about that.

It's 2 years, I wouldn't worry about that.