Driving test waiting times in Newbury some of the longest in the country – MP Lee Dillon demands action from the Government

Newbury has one of the longest waits for a driving test in the country.

The “shocking” delays learners face was revealed following a Parliamentary question by Newbury’s MP Lee Dillon.

The Liberal Democrat said people in the town now faced a “shocking wait time of up to 12 months for driving tests”.

Mr Dillon said the delays were part of a “wider national backlog that the Government appears to have no plan to resolve, exacerbating a situation that began during the pandemic”.

He added: "It's outrageous that local learners are waiting over half a year just to book their driving test.

“This isn’t just an inconvenience; it’s a barrier to education, employment, and independence.

“For young people in particular, being able to drive can be a lifeline, and yet the system is letting them down badly."

Figures released in response to the Parliamentary questions, and answered by the Department for Transport, revealed that the average wait time across the UK for a driving test is now over 180 days.

But learners in Newbury are waiting much longer than that, with waiting times having more than doubled over the past two years, according to a report from the Driving and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA).

These delays are particularly problematic in rural areas like Newbury, where public transport options are limited and many depend on cars for day-to-day life, Mr Dillon added.

He has now raised the issue in Parliament, asking the Government what it intends to do to reduce these wait times and ensure local residents can access driving tests more quickly.

"This Government needs to act fast before the situation gets worse,” he said. “They must invest in more examiners and resources to meet the demand in areas like ours where the delays are causing real hardship."

In a response to Mr Dillon’s questions, Lilian Greenwood, Labour MP for Nottingham South and Parliamentary under-secretary at the Department for Transport, said the DVSA was increasing the number of available test slots, booking tests on weekends and bank holidays and buying back annual leave from examiners to help cut the waiting times.

The response also said that the DVSA was “recruiting additional examiners across the country into areas where waiting times are highest”.

The DVSA is also working to combat blocking apps and bots, as well as reducing the number of times a person can change a test booking from 10 back to the pre-pandemic six.

“To ensure fairness for everyone wanting to book a practical driving test, DVSA continues to work hard to combat the unscrupulous practice of reselling tests,” the response added.

“Such apps or bots are not approved by DVSA. They make it harder for candidates to get a test and can also result in people paying more for a test.

“DVSA will continue to take steps to block cancellation services from accessing the booking system, which are having a positive impact.”

It said that since January 2023 the DVSA has issued 283 warnings, 746 suspensions, and closed 689 businesses for misuse of its booking service.