- Britain's driving test backlog is now projected to continue until autumn 2027, Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander has confirmed.
- The average waiting time for a driving test is currently nearly 22 weeks, a stark contrast to the five-week average before the coronavirus pandemic in February 2020.
- Ms Alexander acknowledged public frustration, stating that despite efforts, demand for tests remains very high.
- The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency's ( DVSA ) target to reduce average waiting times to seven weeks has been repeatedly pushed back, with the latest aspiration to achieve this by autumn of next year.
- Measures being taken include recruiting and faster training of more driving test examiners, using military examiners, and reforming the booking process to combat misuse, which has already led to a reduction in swap and refund volumes.
IN FULL
