Learner drivers in Bristol are struggling to book their driving tests before October, with all available slots currently booked up. There are more than half a million learner drivers waiting to take their tests in Britain and it seems Bristol has been impacted by the backlog.
According to the website Driving Test Cancellations 4 All, which checks the DVSA website thousands of times a day for tests there are no bookings available for Bristol Avonmouth, Bristol Jubilee House or Bristol Kingswood testing centres. According to the DVSA website the earliest you can book a test is 24 weeks in advance, which means there are no test slots available between now and Sunday, October 23, 2022.
The huge demand has been partly blamed on the coronavirus pandemic which forced driving tests, and lessons, to stop leading to an increased demand. It is thought it could take the whole of this year and next to clear the backlog. Currently the only way to get a test in the next 24 weeks will be as a result of a cancellation.
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A spokesperson for Marmalade Insurance told the Southend Echo: “With the 2020/21 lockdowns causing carnage to the driving test booking system, we have seen a backlog rumbling on throughout the last 12 months.”
They added: “With the demand for driving tests set to far outweigh the number of slots available at the start of this year, the driving test backlog will reach its peak in May when there’ll be more than half a million (520,581) learners wanting to book a test.” Southend has the same issue with fully booked driving tests as Bristol.
One measure the DVSA is taking to reduce the backlog is extending the amount of time learners have to wait to retake their test. Now drivers will have to wait 28 days after failing a test to retake it, rather then the usual 10.
Mark Winn, chief driving examiner for DVSA, said: “With nearly half of all learners still failing their first car driving test, it is clear we need to do more to make sure learner drivers only take their test when they are fully prepared.
“These measures will help make sure learners who are test-ready can find appointments and give those who fail more time to get additional practice."
