To think that the driving test system is becoming ridiculous and is harming the economy.

[HunterGatherer]

Yes, I know there's a pandemic on but DS has had his driving test cancelled 3 times now . He has been waiting for over a year (after failing his first test for going too slowly around a roundabout, his instructor who was in the car with him was aghast).
DS is a nurse and currently commutes to work via 2 trains. He frequently has to turn down bank shifts in (in desperately understaffed units) because he can't get there. Quite a few of his friends are in similar situations.
I'm sure other industries are suffering as well. FGS Boris, get your finger out and sort this problem out.

It would be nice if they were allowed to retake the theory test without charge, all those youngsters that took it in good faith and haven't had the chance to take their practical test before it runs out.

@LemonCake79

I completely agree *@HunterGatherer*, the Driving Standards Agency should have waiting time targets to meet like everyone else.

It was terrible when I passed 23 years ago but now it's just appalling. No one wants standards compromises but there needs to be more tests available.

Really feel for your DS.

I don't recall any issues at all either when I passed 25 years ago or when my DC took their tests between 2 and 5 years ago. All booked and sat their tests with no delays or cancellations

@Kite22

It's all very well saying "have a plan" but they can't just magic up driving examiners and test centres from nowhere.

No, but it must be possible to train some. As has been said, this is an issue known about for about 20months. I'm not sure training driving test examiners is quite as intensive and long as training surgeons, for example. I feel there has been time without any magic needing to be involved.

During the last 20months, do you really think it has been a priority?

Catch a bus/train/walk/ride a bike? which is what my DD did to get to her 11 week NHS placement 45 miles away during Uni.

Its a real 1st world problem and i don't blame the govt for not prioritising this, bare in mind also that many examiners retired and were not replaced.

The problem is the same where I live in Canada. Grandson has been waiting almost two years to get through his driving test.

We gifted him very expensive lessons (well over $1000) just before the pandemic. He did the classroom work and then in car lessons were cancelled. Almost a year later he got lessons in the car but DH had to drive him quite far away as somehow they couldn't pick up.

Then, months later he had a road test. He failed by a ridiculous one error that was essentially a trick by the examiner to bring the examinee by a very obscured sign about bikes sharing the road thus requiring dropping speed.

Speeding is an automatic fail. I get that, but since we have found out many people are failed at the same spot. Seems unfair to me.

Now there are no open slots unless you sit on the website literally for days. Not much good anyway as grandson is away at uni now.

I feel your pain.

@Alexandra2001
I disagree in that I think it should have been something the govt prioritised. There can b e more than one priority, the low level of driving has and will lead to young people finding it difficult to work in many areas and increase isolation. It might not be a problem in London where there is an excellent transport system but that is not the case everywhere.

I’d recommend the Testi app.

I agree Its a shambles, dp was supposed to take his first test march 2020 and is now having a 3 month wait to get his theory test redone. He has 2 buses to take to work, taking nearly 2 hours each way each day when most of them are cancelled.

[quote cherryonthecakes]It seems that emergency driving tests are available if you're NHS and need to drive as part of your job

www.gov.uk/apply-emergency-driving-test[/quote]
I checked this, and the criteria are such that very few would be eligible. Most NHS workers don't drive as part of their job, and respond to 'threats to life'. Many do work at rural sites, far from home, which rotate over a large geographical distance though.

What we need is a country with public transport that's fit for purpose so people can get to work without using a car

[quote twelly]@Alexandra2001
I disagree in that I think it should have been something the govt prioritised. There can b e more than one priority, the low level of driving has and will lead to young people finding it difficult to work in many areas and increase isolation. It might not be a problem in London where there is an excellent transport system but that is not the case everywhere.[/quote]
Well we live in the rural s/w, for my DD, she had to stop doing lessons, then her 2nd placement came up and it was the bus followed by a decent walk, she quite enjoyed it.
Many young people do not have the money for tests nor can afford the insurance costs, they have to manage the best they can.

I'm not saying it isn't important but there is only so much DV can do, huge back logs, lack of examiners (many have left the job) its a very F2F job, lessons and exam, so hardly surprising this has occurred.

We need to be moving away from the car and the pollution it causes.

I have to agree it’s not an ideal situation with driving tests at the moment. How pro active is your son in looking for tests , i advocate the cancellation apps , DS passed on his fourth attempt on Friday. Three of his tests brought forward by cancellation apps . When he booked his fourth nothing was available at his chosen centre, he booked at a different one then within days the app had found him one at his chosen centre. Unfortunately it is a case in being really proactive in booking tests rather than waiting for more examiners to pop up from thin air.