A driving instructor has praised the new rules introduced by the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) on June 9, which aim to tackle the massive backlog of driving tests. The changes mean learners can only swap their test to one of the three nearest centres to their original booking location.
New Rules to Combat Backlog and Bots
The DVSA shake-up is designed to address the five-month average wait for a test, caused partly by online bots bulk-booking tests and reselling them at inflated prices. Additionally, some learners were booking tests at distant centres and then swapping to more convenient locations, leading to 64,500 no-shows last year.
Instructor's Perspective
Aman Sanghera, owner of Clearview Driving in West London, explained the benefits on TikTok. She stated that the geographical lock means if a test is booked in West London, it can only be moved to one of the three local test centres, preventing swaps to faraway locations like Swansea. Previously, people could book a random test and then swap to a popular centre, which enabled reselling. Sanghera believes this change will reduce failures, as learners no longer need to travel hundreds of miles to unfamiliar areas, thus increasing pass rates and reducing waiting times. She also noted that the 64,500 wasted slots will now be available for genuine learners.
Official Reaction
Beverley Warmington, DVSA chief executive, said the location restrictions will deter bookings at unintended locations and the agency is committed to reducing waiting times. However, Carly Brookfield of the Driving Instructors Association expressed skepticism, stating the industry lacks confidence that these measures will fix the booking system.
Current Wait Times
According to DVSA data for April 2026, the average wait time is 22.7 weeks in England, 22.9 weeks in Scotland, and 17.3 weeks in Wales.
