Government Crackdown on Driving Test Touts
The UK government has announced a major overhaul of the driving test booking system, implementing a ban on automated bots and third-party companies. This decisive move aims to dismantle a lucrative resale market where test slots are sold at inflated prices, exacerbating a severe national backlog.
The Department for Transport (DfT) confirmed that, under the new rules, only learner drivers themselves will be permitted to book tests, excluding even their driving instructors from the process. This measure is designed to ensure a fairer system where individuals are not competing against automated software for limited appointments.
New Booking Limits and Military Reinforcements
In addition to the bot ban, strict new limits are being placed on how learners can manage their bookings. Learners will now be restricted to a maximum of two changes to any driving test booking. This includes alterations to the date, time, or test centre location. After two amendments, the booking must be cancelled and rebooked entirely.
To further prevent exploitation, learners will also be limited to booking at test centres located close to their original choice, preventing speculative block-booking across the country.
To directly tackle the backlog of 668,128 learners waiting for a practical test at the end of September, the government is calling in reinforcements. The Ministry of Defence (MoD) will provide 36 defence driving examiners across England for one day a week over the next year. This initiative is expected to facilitate up to 6,500 additional tests annually, with these examiners being deployed to test centres with the most acute demand.
A Long Road to Recovery
Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander acknowledged the scale of the challenge, stating the government inherited an "enormous backlog" that has forced learners to endure record waiting times. The average wait was 21.8 weeks at the end of September.
While the DVSA has recruited 316 new examiners, a net gain of only 40 was achieved due to others leaving the role. In a bid to improve retention, driving examiners will be offered a £5,000 'retention payment' from next year.
Despite a 14% increase in tests conducted in September compared to the previous year, the pass rate fell to a six-month low of 49.9%. Steve Gooding, director of the RAC Foundation, welcomed the crackdown, saying, "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."
