One of a problem to book a driving test
Learners stuck in 124,000-strong queue on website
LEARNER drivers are stuck in a backlog of 124,000 people across the UK waiting to book themselves in for a driving test.
Tests were cancelled when the pandemic hit, and while the Driving and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) reopened the system for booking practical tests in July, many people have struggled to get dates.
Tanyel Gumushan, 24, who lives in Leicestershire, had her test in March cancelled.
She said there has been no prioritisation of people like her.
“I am, for the third week in a row, in a queue of 124,000 people across the UK trying to book a driving test through the DVSA website,” she said.
“I was supposed to have a driving test in March that did not go ahead due to lockdown.
“Living in Leicester, I was unable to resume my lessons for an extra two months – that is six months without lessons.
“DVSA is using a national website to allow bookings, once a week. There are 19,000 tests available in six-week blocks.
“The booking opens at 8am and even though tests are available at most centres they close the booking at 2pm.
“Yet they keep tweeting we should be able to take the test anywhere if we are truly test-ready. Yes, we would – but we simply cannot get on to the system to book.”
Tanyel said unless she can get a test booked soon, her theory test certificate will run out.
She said the situation has “disheartened and anxious”.
“Learning to drive and passing the test is already quite stressful for a lot of people, so to have these extra barriers left her put in place adds to the pressure with the time restrictions,” she said.
“The cost is constantly adding up, with maintaining lessons and potentially having to redo the theory test.
“I wanted to drive to have the freedom to travel for work and potentially buy a house and relocate out of the city centre, but not having a licence is holding that up.”
Another person, who wished not to be named, also booked their test for March and had it cancelled.
She said: “I’ve had a really rubbish experience.
“Each time, I’ve got in the queue at 8am and failed to get a test. It’s frustrating as I need to book my test for my work.
“I’ve tried four times. You can only book your test on a Monday. I have been waiting from 8am ’til 2pm, when they close.
“I’ve even had other people on the link to help me book in. It is shocking and it’s frustrating when you’re in a queue and it hardly goes down.”
Another person said: “I have been on the site four times to rebook and every time there have been no available slots.
“It’s really frustrating because ideally there should have been some sort of priority so those who have been waiting longer get a slot but it almost seems like it’s a free-for-all.
“I had only one lesson booked before my test as I felt ready and now I don’t know how many lessons I will need so it’s quite frustrating.
“I will definitely have to book quite a few and as you may know they aren’t the cheapest thing.”
The DVSA said in their guidance that those who had a test cancelled due to the pandemic would be contacted about rearranging it. All the people who spoke to our sister paper The Mercury said they have had to join the national queue.
A spokesman for the DVSA said: “While we have now restarted practical driving tests in a Covid-secure way, following unprecedented demand for tests, from Monday a further 375,000 testing slots will be available to book.
“We will also be safely increasing the number of tests each driving examiner conducts per day.
“This will allow candidates to book new or reschedule existing tests up until January 21.
“We thank everyone for their patience and are sorry for any inconvenience caused to those who haven’t been able to book a test so far.”
The DVSA said all 210,000 candidates who had their test cancelled were contacted about rebooking.