Money off if you pass driving test first time

New drivers would get a cashback reward if they pass their test the first time under plans being considered by the Government.

Only one in five learners pass their first driving test, and it is hoped that offering to refund part of their test fee would encourage them to delay booking until they are sure they are likely to be successful.

Currently a daytime test during the week costs £62, rising to £75 for evening and weekend slots, with most learners forking out for several attempts.

Officials from the Department for Transport propose treating part of the fee as a deposit when the test is booked, which would then be refunded to the learner if they pass on their first attempt.

Transport Secretary Patrick McLoughlin said: ‘we want to make learning to drive safer and more affordable. This change will give those who pass first time some money back and provide an incentive for learners to be more prepared before they take their test.’ Ministers are also looking at ways to offer more flexible test slots to reduce waiting times, a wider selection of test venues and a more effective system for booking tests online, and will consult on the fees for both practical and theory tests.

Many learners are encouraged to book a test soon after they have started driving lessons to avoid waiting weeks for a test date, only to find they are not ready when the time comes, fail, and have to pay for another slot.

According to the DVLA, a learner needs an average of 45 hours of lessons to pass their test – typically at a cost of more than £1,000. Sitting multiple tests causes the costs to further pile up. Figures released by the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency last year revealed one man in his 30s only passed on his 11th attempt, having spent nearly £2,000 on lessons and tests. Transport minister Lord Ahmad of wimbledon said: ‘This is a bold and ambitious approach aimed at putting the user at the heart of everything the motoring agencies do.

‘These proposals are about modernising customer services and improving road safety, particularly for younger drivers, and I want to hear all views.’ Steve Gooding, director of the RAC Foundation, said: ‘we support measures that will encourage learner drivers to get the experience they need to pass their test first time with flying colours, rather than barely scraping through or failing and having to repeat the process a few months down the road at yet more expense.’

Around 1.4million driving tests are carried out each year. Official figures published earlier this year show that learners’ chances of passing vary widely depending on where they live. In some rural areas more than three quarters of drivers pass, because they will have been able to practise on quiet roads with little traffic, say examiners. But the pass rates are far lower in inner cities where there is more congestion.

The three areas with the highest pass rates last year were the Isle of Skye, Kendal in the Lake District and Barrow-in-Furness in Cumbria. The lowest pass rates were seen at test centres in South Yardley in Birmingham, Bradford and four London centres.

Since last year, all driving tests have to be carried out in english or welsh following concerns about fraud involving interpreters.

Just 1 in 5 succeed on first attempt