Surely the current situation with regard to driving tests is unsustainable?

[lilacclementine]

I know of seven people trying to book a driving test whose lives are being negatively impacted by the fact that there are no tests available. We live in London and there is NOTHING to book between now and September (last visible date) at any of the sites. Everyone has registered on the booking apps and gets nothing. I was up at 5.50 am this morning before the new slots drop at 6.00 am- nearly managed to book the only slot in London at Mill Hill at the end of August but it vanished before I could complete the booking.

-3 are apprentice plumbers who work for my cousin. He part funds their lessons as being able to drive the van to the suppliers to grab bits they need is a big part of being an apprentice. You can’t be a tradesperson without being able to drive
-1 is my neighbour. Her husband had a small stroke and was suddenly not cleared to drive- they have young children plus sick elderly parents who live a 40 min drive away (2 hours on the bus or train). She’s been desperately having lessons and is ready for her test
-2 are friends of my daughter doing A levels. They are great kids who are funding their lessons and tests themselves via part time work – the inability to book a test means that they need to keep paying for lessons they don’t need to keep themselves test ready
-1 is my daughter who I’m funding and is also ready for her test but I’m having to keep paying for lessons while we find a slot.

How can we be in a situation where no one can book a driving test? This is utterly ridiculous. How are people in rural communities managing? Those who need a car to get employment? My daughter’s instructor says that he has 20 people trying to book slots and no one has managed to book anything in the past 3 weeks. I could live with a long wait (perhaps stagger or reduce lessons etc) but the fact is you can’t even book anything even months in advance. If you get a test and then fail (which lots of people do) then its back to the drawing board for another massive wait. The theory test expires after 2 years- it’s not inconceivable that people will in fact have to pay for and resit their theory test because they’ve not been able to book an actual test.

I am baffled that this appears to be one more shit thing that we’re all just putting up with. There’s a few articles I can find complaining about this and the government are saying it’ll all get better soon- but how can it? There’s a big pandemic backlog plus our driving instructor says that it’s lies that they’ve recruited more instructors- apparently the local test centre used to have 13 testers, they’re now down to 7 and no sign of any more.

If anyone has any suggestions about how to get a test let me know. We’re on a booking app but don’t seem to have any success.

We're in West London- looking at Isleworth, Southall, Greenford, Uxbridge etc but can go most places in London West

Smallish town in Scotland! It sounds like big cities are generally bad, then.

@exexpat gosh that's so far!!

Oh my instructor is in SE London unfortunately

Cancellation app is what worked fir us. The situation is better than last year tbh.

But we are not in London…

What we did too is to basically book the test when ds started his driving lessons….

We booked DS test by securing a date at the far end of the window and then using one of the £18 find-a- cancellation sites. Got a cancellation in a few weeks. Not London though.

My DS seemed to have a magic touch getting his test organised. He turned 17 mid October last year and passed his theory test the day after his birthday. He immediately booked a test at one of our local centres but it wasn't until March. He was test ready by mid November and was obsessively trying to book a cancellation every day for about a week. He managed to pass his test on 24th November after getting a cancellation booked in two days before. We were just so lucky that his instructor was free at such short notice.

Many people are travelling further afield for their tests and using their own cars of the instructor can't travel that far. You do have to check that the car is on the approved list though - our's wasn't so we had to make sure the instructor was free.

You could book a test in Norfolk where the roads are better and traffic calmer, (the examiners are like hawks though so you have to nail every single little detail as several minors of the same type can morphe into a major) come up the day before, stay in one of our lovely b&bs and take the test the following day. Do it as a mini-break? It’s really quite nice here. Either of the Norwich test centre are good; you just have to spend a week refreshing the site every spare minute you get. It’s really quite refreshing here.x

Oh yes, make sure your car is insured for the test AND you have the examiners mirror in place. (My instructor said you buy them for a fiver in Halfords.) Your instructor will show you where to place it.

There are still thousands of 20 year olds trying to get their test in. DD was impacted by covid, had to stop and start lessons a few times, then got a test, which was cancelled, then got another test and she failed. She gave up for a few months, and is now re-doing lessons and has booked a test in her university town. She is going to be an excellent driver in the end, as she has been learning for three years!

Her written test runs out in August, so hopefully she will pass in March. Fingers crossed.

She has always used the testi app, and got cancellations when needed. She has also cancelled a few times, as she booked anywhere and everywhere, to get a slot. You can often get very early morning ones, as they are unpopular, and people often use them as holding tests, and then move to later in the day, often at short notice.

Agree this is a disgrace. We had a 12 week wait for DD's first test (and that was just one random test which i think we were lucky to get) which she failed. When we went on to book a re-test the wait was over 16 weeks for our local test centre, and some others within about 100 miles had no tests available at all. We managed to get a test within a month at a centre about an hour's drive away in a small town that had quite a few slots available. She and I drove there every intervening weekend to learn the roads and thankfully she passed. I think there needs to be at least some tests reserved for re-tests - if you fail over just one thing you don't need months more lessons, but end up having to pay for them just to keep in practice.

I'd look at much further afield. My cousin is a test examiner in Glasgow. He's had people coming from London to sit their tests.

DD is in this position-also London. Test was booked as soon as she’d passed theory test -through a cancellation app. But instructor arrived too late at the centre due to roadworks and they missed the slot. Instructor deemed it his fault and paid for new test -through app. DD failed. Third test booked through app. The driving test centre cancelled the test due to roadworks. And on we go.

Meant to add, her first test was booked for last summer.

Re going further afield- DD is learning manual as her grandmother gave DD her car as she's not safe to drive anymore. However it's not test suitable. We have an automatic so she'd have to use her driving instructors car. He says he will go to any test centre up to an hour away (which is very nice of him!) but it does limit our options.

It’s also an issue for young people doing student nurse, paramedic, midwife training. They get sent on placements but can’t travel via public transport to remote locations at unsocial hours. 🤷‍♀️

off topic but "I think it must be luck of the drawer"

I know a young social worker who’s failed her test four times, and it threatens her employability. Not everyone will pass first or second attempt.

Pedantic and incorrect

the luck

Cringing for you

Can't comment on London, but it's not that bad here in Surrey. Most people have paid £20 for an app, nominate 3 local sites and get one within a couple / few months. 4 people we know have passed in the last month.

This must be the case in a few jobs. How dreadful for her. Honestly I'm so angry atm. So many ways young people keep being shafted.

How much do driving test examiners earn then?

Not enough. They've been striking too, remember.

But I don't think people have to wait so long in reality?

A friend of mine was due to do her test in February (not sure what centre but she lives in Chingford) but had to cancel at a few weeks notice, and got slot in April. I also know of someone who went to Wales because they could get a slot quickly there, but that seems extreme.