A surge in learner drivers using roads around a south Wales village is sparking frustration among residents.

They say daily queues of cars with L-plates are creating congestion and safety concerns as candidates flock to what they believe is an easier place to pass their driving test.

Go West

Miskin, near Llantrisant in Rhondda Cynon Taf, has become an unexpected magnet for learners from across the UK.

Long national waiting times for practical tests and the perception of higher pass rates at Llantrisant Driving Test Centre are drawing candidates from as far away as Bristol, Cumbria and even Penzance.

“Everyone’s got to learn, but it seems everyone wants to learn here,” said local resident Alun Fellows, who described the situation as “chaos”.

He says quiet residential streets are now used daily for manoeuvres and practice routes.

“You’ve got learner drivers sometimes spending five to ten minutes reversing into a parking spot,” he said. “They’re out early in the morning until late in the evening. I think they are making it dangerous not just for people living here, but also for cyclists and dog walkers.”

Other residents report surges in learner traffic during school-run hours.

Deep-sea diver Ash Hallwood said the village feels “swamped” whenever he returns from work. “There is a lot of learner drivers from eight in the morning, and it always seems to be on the school run,” he said.

Nothing to see here

The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) insists that the number of tests at Llantrisant has not risen since car driving tests began there in 2018, when the centre stopped being used for lorry examinations.

However, demand pressures across the UK mean that any centre with an available slot attracts online attention from desperate candidates.

Nationwide delays remain a key driver of behaviour, with average waits of 22 weeks last autumn, while 70% of test centres hit the legal maximum of 24 weeks.

Llantrisant is among them, with a current 24-week wait.

Easy pass

Some learners believe the centre’s slightly higher pass rate – 50.6% compared with the national average of 48.7% – makes it a softer option.

“We’re hoping it’s fifth time lucky because we heard Llantrisant is easier,” said Raj, speaking to the BBC, who drove his friend from Bristol after four failed attempts elsewhere.

His friend failed again after stalling the car.

Driving instructors also challenged the idea that the location makes a difference in the report.

“If they’re competent enough to sit a driving test, they are competent enough anywhere in the UK,” said local instructor Nathan Pockett, who nevertheless acknowledged people travel long distances because they think waits are shorter.

Fairness and standards

 Eighteen-year-old Maisie Jones, who passed first time, described her Llantrisant route as “straightforward” and passed with just one minor fault.

But local families say the influx is squeezing them out of nearby test slots.

One mother said booking a test for her 17-year-old son had become “almost impossible”, with months of appointments snapped up quickly by non-locals.

The DVSA stressed that all candidates are assessed to a single national standard.

“The result of their test is entirely dependent on their performance on the day,” a spokesperson said.

While residents complain of inconvenience, the issue highlights wider national tensions in the driving test system: persistent backlogs, travel-to-test culture and the pressure on young drivers eager for independence.

With waits expected to stretch into 2027 at some centres, it appears Miskin’s learner-traffic “chaos” is unlikely to abate soon.