What's happened
The UK government is increasing driving test availability by involving military examiners and tightening booking rules amid a backlog of nearly 670,000 tests. New measures aim to reduce wait times, but targets for a seven-week wait by summer 2026 are unlikely to be met, with current waits exceeding 21 weeks.
What's behind the headline?
The government's strategy to involve military examiners and restrict booking practices reflects a recognition of systemic issues in driver testing. While adding 6,500 tests annually and deploying civilian MoD personnel will temporarily boost capacity, it is unlikely to fully resolve the backlog or meet the ambitious target of a seven-week wait by summer 2026. The measures to curb resale and limit booking changes aim to reduce unfair practices and improve fairness, but they may also complicate the booking process for genuine learners. The recruitment of examiners and the use of military personnel highlight a broader staffing crisis within the DVSA, which has only seen a net gain of 40 examiners despite recruiting 316. The persistent delays and high failure rates—nearly 55% for theory and practical tests—indicate deeper issues in driver education and testing standards. Overall, these initiatives will deliver some relief but are unlikely to fully address the systemic capacity constraints, and the backlog will likely persist into the near future, impacting learner drivers' ability to obtain licenses promptly.
What the papers say
Sky News reports that the Department for Transport will add up to 6,500 tests over the next year by deploying 36 military driving examiners, primarily focusing on car tests but with flexibility for vocational assessments. The Guardian highlights that only learner drivers, not instructors, will be able to book tests, and limits on booking changes aim to curb resale practices. Both sources note that the target of reducing wait times to seven weeks by summer 2026 will not be met, with current waits exceeding 21 weeks. The Mirror emphasizes the involvement of the MoD and the deployment of civilian personnel, while also noting the ongoing staffing challenges and the increase in test demand. The articles collectively underscore the government's efforts to alleviate the backlog through military support and regulatory reforms, but also reveal the scale of the challenge ahead.
How we got here
The UK faces a significant backlog of driving tests, driven by increased demand and staffing shortages. The Department for Transport (DfT) has announced measures including recruiting military examiners and limiting booking changes to address delays. The backlog has grown as test demand has risen, with over 642,000 tests booked as of October, and wait times have increased to over 21 weeks.
Go deeper
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The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency is an executive agency of the UK Department for Transport.
It carries out driving tests, approves people to be driving instructors and MOT testers, carries out tests to make sure lorries and buses are safe to drive,
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