Parliament wants your views
Parliamentary committee looking into driving test waiting times
The Transport Select Committee are looking into the issue of practical driving test availability.
The Committee currently has a call for written evidence and would welcome submissions from all relevant stakeholders.
Non-inquiry session
Average waiting times from practical driving tests have increased from the pre-pandemic average of 6 weeks to 17 weeks in September 2024. In this evidence session, the Committee will seek to understand the causes of the long wait times, the impacts that this is having on future drivers, potential solutions, and the effectiveness of steps taken by the DVSA to date.
On Wednesday 4th December, the Committee will discuss:
• The impact of the difficulty in accessing practical driving tests
• How the scarcity of HGV driving tests has affected the industry
• What possible solutions are there for reducing waiting times and preventing slots from being blocked out by automated bookings
Further information can be found on the website.
Submissions are welcome from both organisations and individuals.
Questions
The cross-party Committee will quiz Love Ryder (CEO of DVSA) and Lilian Greenwood MP (Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State at Department for Transport) on ways to solve the ongoing problems that are causing delays and exacerbating the tests backlog, such as the persistent problem of touts using bots to buy up test slots and re-sell them at a profit.
Before them, MPs will also question representatives of the AA, Driving Instructors Association and Public and Commercial Services (PCS) trade union, on issues such as the retention and recruitment of driving test examiners.
There may also be questions around the possible knock-on effects of these delays, such as more tests resulting in failure and an increased demand for driving lessons while people wait for their tests.