The UK government has called in military driving examiners to help tackle the ongoing driving test backlog, with plans to deliver up to 6,500 additional tests over the next year.
Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander announced the emergency measures while also revealing new rules designed to prevent third parties from reselling driving test appointments at inflated prices using online bots.
Military Reinforcements Arrive
Thirty-six Defence Driving Examiners (DDEs), consisting of civilian Ministry of Defence personnel, will begin conducting driving tests one day per week for the next twelve months. This unprecedented move represents a significant escalation in the government's efforts to reduce waiting times that have frustrated learner drivers across the country.
Speaking to the Transport Select Committee, Ms Alexander explained: "We have engaged with the Ministry of Defence School of Transport, and they are going to be giving us a number of their driving examiners to supplement the ones we already have."
The minister highlighted the mutual benefits of this arrangement, noting that while the additional capacity helps address the backlog, it also allows military examiners to maintain their skills between testing service personnel.
Comprehensive Strategy Against Backlog
The military deployment forms part of a broader strategy that has already seen 316 new driving examiners recruited, though retention issues mean this translates to a net increase of just over 40 examiners.
To improve retention, the government will provide driving examiners with an extraordinary £5,000 retention payment next year, split between March and September payments. Ms Alexander noted that anecdotal evidence suggests this incentive is already encouraging some examiners to delay retirement.
Despite these measures, the transport secretary offered a cautious assessment, telling committee members: "I can't sit here today and tell you that I'm going to meet the summer 2026 deadline either. Demand is still very high, and the approaches that DVSA have taken so far have not been sufficient to meet this level of demand."
Crackdown on Test Touting
In parallel with increasing test capacity, the government is taking decisive action against enterprises that use automated bots to "scrape" driving test appointments and resell them at substantial premiums.
Ms Alexander announced: "We're introducing a legislative change which will mean that only the driver themselves can book a test. This is to try to stop people being exploited by bots that are operating online."
Additional measures include limiting how many times a driver can move or swap a test and restricting the geographical area to which they can transfer a test once booked.
Steve Gooding, director of the RAC Foundation, welcomed the anti-touting measures: "It is good to see steps being put in place to put a stop to those touting tests to frustrated learners – candidates stuck in the queue should at least be reassured that they aren't being elbowed aside by those simply seeking to make a quick buck."
The minister also confirmed that DVSA chief executive Loveday Ryder is leaving her role, with new leadership expected to make driving test wait times their "top priority."
Armed Forces Minister Al Carns emphasised the value military examiners bring to the effort: "Our military driving examiners bring skill and professionalism from testing Service personnel to prepare them for some of the toughest conditions imaginable. By supporting civilian testing, they're helping to get more learners on the road, keep Britain moving, and deliver for the public."
