Fixing the Driving Test Backlog - Consultation Closes Today

[SMJ1000]

The government consultation on fixing the ridiculous backlog for Driving Test bookings closes today at midnight. It is very quick and easy to vote to say only learners should be able to book a test (not driving instructors). Just search gov.uk driving test consultation

Is it the driving instructors who are causing a problem?

The problem is caused by touts who are using driving instructors’ logins to book all the tests using bots and then sell them on for a profit. Lots of driving instructors are frustrated about the current backlog. My kids’ driving instructor says that he is regularly offered money by touts asking to use his login and the way to fix the backlog is to stop the ability for instructors to swap the names on tests, because that will stop the touts.

OK. It's not all that clear is it?!

Thanks OP. Filled it out. Seemed perfectly clear to me from the preamble.

https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/improving-car-driving-test-booking-rules/improving-car-driving-test-booking-rules

Also filled it out

I've already done this, we really struggled to get DD a test.
She's got a test booked next month so fingers crossed as booking a test is virtually impossible!!
Not sure what the cause is though, its much worse than just after covid when her older sister took her test-and we thought that was bad!
Mind you her driving instructor told us that he could no longer do her test date as his wife was as having an op I felt like crying! Bit because he's an instructor he managed to organise a test swap with another instructors pupil, so I'm not against instructors being able to book tests but either there are no literally barely any tests avaliable in the country or somehow they are being block booked as soon as they are released - but I haven't heard of anyone selling tests-other than Dvla - so who knows

Why are instructors giving the touts their login details then? How can they be so frustrated with the backlog but causing the problem as well?

Thanks for the link. I’ve done it. My son has passed his theory today so now we’re joining the scramble for a test.

Some instructors are making money each month selling their logins to touts. Others are not selling their logins and frustrated at the dreadful backlogs.

It's horrendous, I logged on at 5.50am on Monday and there were 4.800 people in the queue above me. I got to the end and the "quchechter" thing sent me back to the end of the queue.....of 24,000 people and there is no way that that number of people need to take a driving test.
It's turning into a scam.

It is so frustrating. My son has a test (booked in June) but not until November which feels miles away!

And now he has been blocked as trying to refresh the DVSA site to much!! Aaargh !

The situation is so frustrating!! My sons test is right at the end of the year, we keep trying for an earlier cancellation but no luck. This morning I logged on at 6am to be number 19,492 in the queue, I’m still waiting. My sons friend has been able to get 3 tests within 6 weeks because his driving instructor has lots of bookings and just swaps the names!

I just got to the start and it blocked me for trying to access it too many times, what a joke!

So the suggestion is to go back to the way it was in the 80s when I took my test and everyone had to book their own, and there was no problem? Makes sense.

At the other end of the scale, I'm annoyed with my local pharmacy who've taken it upon themselves to order my repeat prescription - I normally order it myself through the NHS app. Just stop infantalising older people with prescriptions and younger people with driving tests and let them sort themselves out unless they're incapable and request help!

Yep absolutely agree, it’s getting crazy! The young are more than capable of booking their own tests, as you say, it worked for us! I am also able to order my own repeat prescription

Ordering someone's HRT for them when they don't want you to has the potential to turn bad 😂😂😋

Ah, so do driving instructors not have to provide the learner drivers licence number when they book? Surely that is the obvious solution - one booking per provisional licence would sort the problem almost immediately.

Where I live it’s a 5-6 month wait, and obviously you can’t book the practical until you’ve passed the theory test.

It is currently a ridiculous nightmare of a system.

I must have got lucky. Logged on about 5.50 this morning and got in just after 6. Booked my son's test for February at our local test location

My 4 dds paid £250 each for their tests in April, which is a total rip off. I was annoyed at the cost but thankfully all 4 passed.

Their driving instructors were like hey if you give me £250 I can get you a test next month!

shame closed. Angry for ds2 just starting to learn.

Hopefully we all hear back soon about what's going to be done to fix it!