‘It’s wild’: how the cost of learning to drive in the UK is accelerating

The route to gaining a driving licence is less straightforward than it once was. Photograph: Ian Allenden/Alamy

Learning to drive – and the sense of freedom and independence that comes with it – is a milestone many look forward to. But for today’s learners, the journey to getting on the road is proving longer, more uncertain and more expensive than ever.

What was once a fairly straightforward process, from lessons and the theory test to the practical exam, now involves record waiting times, rising costs and having to compete with automated software bots to secure a test slot.