The National Associations Strategic Partnership (NASP) has written to a government minister warning that rising fuel prices, ongoing driving test delays, and pressures on the driver training sector are creating a “perfect storm” for learners and instructors across the UK.

Priced out

In the letter, addressed to a senior figure at the Department for Transport, NASP outlines growing concerns that recent increases in fuel costs are placing significant financial strain on ADIs, many of whom rely on petrol or diesel vehicles for daily lessons.

The organisation, which represents several major industry bodies, argues that the sustained rise in fuel prices is forcing instructors to either absorb the additional costs or pass them on to learners—many of whom are already struggling with the high cost of learning to drive.

According to NASP, this risks making driver training less accessible, particularly for young people and those on lower incomes.

“Fuel is one of the largest overheads for instructors,” the letter states. “Continued increases are not sustainable without impacting lesson prices, which in turn affects learner uptake.”

Still waiting

Alongside fuel concerns, NASP highlights ongoing issues with the availability of driving tests under the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA).

Despite efforts to reduce waiting times through system reforms and increased examiner recruitment, demand for tests continues to outstrip supply in many areas.

Learners in some parts of the country are still facing waits of several months, a situation NASP says is undermining both learner confidence and instructor workflow.

Long gaps between lessons and test dates can lead to skill deterioration, requiring additional lessons and increasing overall costs.

The right direction?

The letter also raises concerns about the impact of recent DVSA booking system changes.

While intended to curb misuse by third-party resellers and bots, NASP suggests that the reforms may have had unintended consequences for instructors trying to support their pupils through the process.

“Instructors play a key role in preparing candidates and advising on test readiness,” the organisation notes. “Restrictions on booking flexibility can make it harder to align test dates with a learner’s progress.”

NASP is calling on the government to consider a range of measures, including targeted financial support or tax relief for instructors affected by fuel price increases, as well as further action to expand test capacity.

Suggestions include extended testing hours, increased recruitment of examiners, and improved regional distribution of test slots.

Jobsworth

The group also emphasises the broader economic importance of the driver training sector.

Learning to drive is often essential for employment, particularly in areas with limited public transport.

Delays and rising costs, NASP warns, could have knock-on effects on access to jobs and economic mobility.

Industry reaction to the letter has been broadly supportive, with many instructors echoing the concerns raised.

Some say they have already been forced to increase lesson prices or reduce availability due to operating costs.

Working for solutions

The government has yet to respond formally, but previous statements from the DVSA have stressed its commitment to reducing waiting times and maintaining a fair booking system.

For NASP, however, the situation requires urgent attention.

The letter concludes with a call for closer collaboration between policymakers and the driver training industry to ensure that reforms address real-world challenges.

As fuel prices continue to rise and demand for driving tests stays high, the pressures outlined by NASP suggest that, for many learners and instructors, the road to getting a licence is becoming increasingly complex and costly. 

Read the letter 

Dear Sir/Madam,

Re: The Impact of Potential Fuel Rationing on Driving Tests and Test Waiting Times

We are writing to raise the concerns of our members about the potential impact of fuel rationing on the driver training and testing sector in light of the ongoing instability arising from the conflict involving Iran and its effects on global oil supply chains.

The risk of fuel supply disruption to the United Kingdom is credible and growing. Should the Government move to introduce rationing, the consequences for driving tests and test waiting times would be immediate and severe, in a sector that has very little capacity to absorb further disruption.

Our profession is fully aware that test waiting times are already a significant and long-standing problem for candidates, instructors, and the wider public. Any reduction in operational capacity, whether due to restricted fuel availability for examiner travel, reduced candidates’ ability to attend test appointments, or curtailed instructor activity, would compound an already critical situation. Specifically:

a) Driving examiners are required to travel to and from test centres. Any fuel restrictions affecting DVSA fleet vehicles or examiner commuting would directly reduce the number of tests conducted each day, extending waiting times further.

b) Driving instructors are entirely dependent on their vehicles to deliver lessons and to accompany candidates to test appointments. Fuel rationing would significantly curtail the volume of tuition that can be delivered, meaning that candidates on already lengthy waiting lists would arrive at their test date less prepared than they should be, with likely consequences for first-time pass rates and road safety outcomes;

c) Learner drivers — many of whom are young people or individuals on lower incomes, for whom private transport is not an option — would face serious difficulties travelling to test centres where public transport provision is inadequate. Missed or cancelled appointments would impact severely on DVSA attempts to resolve the current crisis;

d) The cumulative effect of any reduction in test throughput, even over a relatively short period, would take months or years to recover from. This is not a theoretical concern — the current backlog demonstrates precisely how difficult it is to rebuild capacity once lost;

e) There is currently no contingency framework or communication from DVSA regarding how it would manage test availability, examiner deployment, or candidate priority in the event of fuel supply restrictions. The absence of such a plan is itself a concern, given the credibility and immediacy of the current risk.

NASP calls on DVSA to urgently consider the following:

1) The development and publication of a contingency plan addressing how driving tests would be managed in the event of fuel rationing or supply disruption, including how existing waiting lists would be protected;

2) Priority fuel access for professional driving instructors and DVSA examiners, consistent with the treatment of other road safety and transport professionals, should rationing be introduced;

3) A commitment to transparency regarding any impact on test centre operations, with timely and accurate communication to candidates and driving instructors alike.

4) Potential road safety impact of guidance that would reduce learner driver access to private practice, acknowledged as an integral element in the learning journey of many young drivers;

5) The impact on many other professional drivers, such as fleet professionals and riders.

Any further deterioration in test availability, particularly one resulting from an external shock that could be planned for now, would be damaging to individual businesses, harmful to road safety, and a serious blow to already damaged public confidence in the licensing system.

Regards, Stewart Lochrie Approved Driving Instructors National Joint Council (ADINJC), Carly Brookfield Driving Instructors Association (DIA), Peter Harvey Motor Schools Association (MSA).