New law to clamp down on driving test bots

Only learner drivers will be able to book driving tests in plans aimed at reducing long waiting lists and preventing slots being sold at inflated prices.

Transport Minister Heidi Alexander said restricting third parties from selling slots would prevent people from being “exploited” by online bots.

But he admitted to MPs on the Transport committee that waiting times for driving tests will not be cut to seven weeks until summer 2026, the latest deadline he has set.

At the end of June, the average wait time was 21.8 weeks.

As well as changing who can book tests, examiners from the Ministry of Defense (MoD) will be brought in to the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) to reduce the backlog.

Ministry of Transport said 36 MoD Driving examiners will be brought in to test one day a week for a year, at an estimated cost of £100,000.

These inspectors are civil servants, not military personnel.

The DVSA recruited 316 new examiners, but Alexander said this resulted in a net gain of just 40 as others left.

They will try to keep driving instructors in the role by offering them a £5,000 “exemption payment” from next year.

There will also be a limit on the number of times a driver can move or replace a test, and the space they can move once they book a test, he said.

In April, BBC Verify found that: average waiting time Of the 319 driving test centers in Great Britain, the maximum average waiting time of 24 weeks was reached in three quarters of the test centres, which lasted 22 weeks.

The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) is offering more tests every week but many of these are quickly being booked by bots, which are automated software that can move much faster than humans.

Companies then sell test sites at inflated prices to desperate candidates.

The cost of a driving test is £62 for weekdays and £75 for evenings and weekends.

However, some third-party sites charge up to £200.

As of the end of last month, there were 642,000 learner drivers booked for testing.

The DVSA said the pent-up demand was a result of increased demand and people booking tests much earlier than they had previously.

Approximately 182,000 tests were performed last month; This is a 9% increase from October 2024.

Steve Gooding, director of the RAC Foundation, said: “It’s good to see steps being taken to put an end to those touting students for disappointing exams.

“Candidates stuck in the queue should at least be reassured that they are not being pushed aside by those looking to make a quick buck.”