Soldato
- Joined
- 19 Oct 2002
- Posts
- 17,728
- Location
- Shakespeare’s County
News to me they are reselling at a price, they are no doubt trying to manage their world load, student throughput and readiness in advance. Not really an issue?
so just how do you get a driving test booked!
- Thread starter FlamBango
- Start date
What's not really an issue? Instructors playing the system to look after themselves? I would say that is an issue. They can spin it anyway they want, the reality is, they are entering their students into the system immediately on taking them on, then play swapsies with when a student is ready and can be swapped in with someone else taking longer. This is all contributing to the 6 month delays. The main cause though really, is just the backlog and delays from the inefficient testing centres since COVID. They have never recovered.
DVSA could fix this overnight by way of two main things:
1: Only allow students to book a test date
2: Do not allow dates to be modified at all. If it ever needs to be, you forfeit the full cost. Unlucky.
The main one is number 2. To stop allowing dates/details to be swapped. This is what is causing the reselling to occur since people can sell a test to someone else where they can swap dates/modify the details effectively.
If they did the above, there would be an instant hard reset. Yes it would take everyone 6 months, NOW, but overtime, that would come down since a shedload more appointments would be truly available to satisfy the actual demand. Currently, tests are being booked for the sake of it and many wasted with no shows, where these chancers could not fulfil an appointment even.
Caporegime
- Joined
- 22 Oct 2002
- Posts
- 28,404
- Location
- Boston, Lincolnshire
This is what I am going to do when she passes her theory. Will book it as soon as she has passed. Then her instructor has a deadline and cannot drag out lessons. My daughter has had 10 hours so far and shouldn't need more than 20 and she is doing 2 hours a week.
This could all just be nonsense and her instructor is as good as gold but far too many grifters these days everywhere.
A colleague's wife is a DI and she knows it's happening as there are group chats within driving schools with lists of dates each instructor has booked. Initially they were set up as mutual swaps etc, ie no money involved but then some started to charge and now it's common place.
The only way for this to stop would be for ADIs to lose the ability to book them and place it all on the student's shoulders.
Approved Driving Instructor.
TBF they've always been inefficient, it's just gotten worse. When I passed my test there was only one test centre for the entire town and opened effectively for part-time hours, Tests started at 0930 and last one was 1430. With only 2 examiners assigned, there was a decent waiting list back then.
This is the waiting time data from 2023. Nothing for 2024/25 as yet that I've found.
| Driving Test Centre | April 2019 to March 2020 (weeks) | April 2022 to March 2023 (weeks) | Country |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bradford (Thornbury) | 9.21 | 23.42 | England |
| Bolton (Manchester) | 8.38 | 23.34 | England |
| Hamilton | 7.62 | 23.16 | Scotland |
| Hendon (London) | 7.21 | 23.08 | England |
| Glasgow (Shieldhall) | 6.94 | 23 | Scotland |
| Bishopbriggs | 7.68 | 22.88 | Scotland |
| Glasgow (Baillieston) | 7.32 | 22.52 | Scotland |
| Pinner (London) | 7.09 | 22.5 | England |
| Steeton | 8.55 | 22.48 | England |
| Wakefield | 7.02 | 22.38 | England |
| Sheffield (Middlewood Road) | 8.32 | 22.2 | England |
| Ashfield | 7.34 | 22.14 | England |
| Goodmayes (London) | 9.79 | 21.94 | England |
| Cheetham Hill (Manchester) | 7.62 | 21.86 | England |
| Warrington | 7.81 | 21.56 | England |
| Mill Hill (London) | 6.64 | 21.52 | England |
| Worksop | 5.77 | 21.5 | England |
| Glasgow (Anniesland) | 7.19 | 21.4 | Scotland |
| Birmingham (South Yardley) | 5.32 | 21.2 | England |
| Paisley | 7.04 | 20.96 | Scotland |
| Featherstone | 9.6 | 20.76 | England |
| Colchester | 7.87 | 20.48 | England |
| Derby (Alvaston) | 3.94 | 20.46 | England |
| Bletchley | 7.43 | 20.4 | England |
| Dumbarton | 6.38 | 20.36 | Scotland |
| Bristol (Kingswood) | 7.6 | 20.28 | England |
| Sheffield (Handsworth) | 6.04 | 20.2 | England |
| Cambridge (Brookmount Court) | 11.38 | 20.16 | England |
| Birmingham (Kings Heath) | 6.77 | 20.1 | England |
| Skipton | 7.85 | 20.02 | England |
| Southampton (Maybush) | 8.7 | 19.98 | England |
| Wolverhampton | 5.49 | 19.92 | England |
| Edinburgh (Currie) | 9.72 | 19.92 | Scotland |
| Birmingham (Garretts Green) | 7.62 | 19.8 | England |
| Norris Green (Liverpool) | 8.17 | 19.78 | England |
| Hull | 7.74 | 19.72 | England |
| Cheltenham | 8.79 | 19.6 | England |
| Northampton | 7.72 | 19.54 | England |
| Swindon | 8.11 | 19.4 | England |
| Airdrie | 8.08 | 19.34 | Scotland |
| Bradford (Heaton) | 12.04 | 19.34 | England |
| Poole | 8.55 | 19.16 | England |
| Stevenage | 8.7 | 19.16 | England |
| York | 11.62 | 19.02 | England |
| Heckmondwike | 7.26 | 18.98 | England |
| Southport (Liverpool) | 8.42 | 18.86 | England |
| Leighton Buzzard (Stanbridge Road) | 7.6 | 18.78 | England |
| Bredbury (Manchester) | 6.04 | 18.76 | England |
| Chelmsford (Hanbury Road) | 7.38 | 18.74 | England |
| Birmingham (Kingstanding) | 5.43 | 18.72 | England |
| Wood Green (London) | 8.58 | 18.64 | England |
| Letchworth | 7.92 | 18.56 | England |
| Leeds | 7.7 | 18.36 | England |
| Horsforth | 10.19 | 18.34 | England |
| Middlesbrough | 8.89 | 18.28 | England |
| Knaresborough | 9.15 | 18.12 | England |
| Barnstaple | 6.81 | 18.1 | England |
| Durham | 8.26 | 18.1 | England |
| Preston | 7.25 | 18.08 | England |
| Heysham | 7.08 | 17.96 | England |
| Luton | 8.91 | 17.94 | England |
| Halifax | 11.08 | 17.78 | England |
| Dudley | 5.96 | 17.72 | England |
| Bishops Stortford | 8.13 | 17.72 | England |
| Herne Bay | 7.4 | 17.68 | England |
| St Helens (Liverpool) | 6.72 | 17.62 | England |
| Tottenham | 9.32 | 17.62 | England |
| Chingford (London) | 6.89 | 17.58 | England |
| Edinburgh (Musselburgh) | 8.96 | 17.58 | Scotland |
| Watford | 6.08 | 17.56 | England |
| Sunderland | 7.45 | 17.56 | England |
| Clacton-on-Sea | 7.49 | 17.52 | England |
| Rotherham | 5.23 | 17.5 | England |
| Sidcup (London) | 7.77 | 17.48 | England |
| Barnsley | 6.96 | 17.3 | England |
| Gloucester | 10.94 | 17.24 | England |
| Speke (Liverpool) | 7.25 | 17.18 | England |
| Nelson | 10.7 | 17.18 | England |
| Huddersfield | 9.21 | 17.14 | England |
| Hornchurch (London) | 8.11 | 17.08 | England |
| Plymouth | 8.04 | 17.02 | England |
| Lichfield | 9.08 | 17.02 | England |
| Greenock | 6.09 | 16.98 | Scotland |
| Taunton | 6.04 | 16.92 | England |
| Hartlepool | 8.51 | 16.82 | England |
| Doncaster | 7.91 | 16.78 | England |
| Lee On The Solent | 7.83 | 16.74 | England |
| Barking (Tanner Street) | 6.98 | 16.68 | England |
| Southall (London) | 6.98 | 16.6 | England |
| Hereford | 6.77 | 16.48 | England |
| Worcester | 7.02 | 16.46 | England |
| Wednesbury | 4.6 | 16.44 | England |
| Weston-super-Mare | 6.72 | 16.44 | England |
| St Albans | 7.11 | 16.44 | England |
| Yeovil | 7.68 | 16.28 | England |
| Tilbury | 7.58 | 16.26 | England |
| Chester | 8.13 | 16.26 | England |
| Chippenham | 6.89 | 16.24 | England |
| Erith (London) | 7.04 | 16.2 | England |
| Morden (London) | 7.15 | 16.1 | England |
| West Didsbury (Manchester) | 8.55 | 16.04 | England |
| Aberdeen South (Cove) | 7.17 | 15.96 | Scotland |
| Enfield (Innova Business Park) | 5.91 | 15.94 | England |
| Kettering | 6.85 | 15.82 | England |
| Gosforth | 6.87 | 15.82 | England |
| Wanstead (London) | 7.19 | 15.82 | England |
| Shrewsbury | 7.53 | 15.78 | England |
| Belvedere (London) | 7.6 | 15.6 | England |
| Portsmouth | 7.34 | 15.52 | England |
| Borehamwood (London) | 5.85 | 15.5 | England |
| Chesterfield | 6.04 | 15.48 | England |
| Burton on Trent | 7.19 | 15.48 | England |
| Kendal (Oxenholme Road) | 5.32 | 15.36 | England |
| Rugby | 5.62 | 15.34 | England |
| Reading | 7.87 | 15.28 | England |
| Northallerton | 7.15 | 15.18 | England |
| Oxford (Cowley) | 6.77 | 15.16 | England |
| Camborne | 7.23 | 15.16 | England |
| Aberdeen North | 7.34 | 15.16 | Scotland |
| Winchester | 7.94 | 15.16 | England |
| Coventry | 6.77 | 15.12 | England |
| Pontefract | 7.09 | 15.1 | England |
| Ashford (Kent) | 7.49 | 15.1 | England |
| Gillingham | 8.4 | 15.06 | England |
| Stoke-on-Trent (Newcastle-Under-Lyme) | 9.45 | 14.96 | England |
| Bromley (London) | 5.12 | 14.94 | England |
| Sevenoaks | 8.09 | 14.94 | England |
| Irvine | 5.66 | 14.9 | Scotland |
| Leicester (Wigston) | 6.06 | 14.88 | England |
| Birmingham (Shirley) | 6.08 | 14.86 | England |
| Southend-on-Sea | 9.96 | 14.8 | England |
| Blackburn with Darwen | 6.3 | 14.72 | England |
| Blyth | 7.53 | 14.68 | England |
| Stirling | 6.26 | 14.54 | Scotland |
| Scarborough | 6.81 | 14.38 | England |
| Aylesbury | 6.96 | 14.38 | England |
| Nottingham (Colwick) | 6.79 | 14.28 | England |
| Dundee | 7.57 | 14.26 | Scotland |
| Redditch | 6.72 | 14.22 | England |
| Crawley | 7.51 | 14.16 | England |
| Exeter | 7.08 | 13.98 | England |
| Greenford (Horsenden Lane) | 8.6 | 13.9 | England |
| Widnes | 7.28 | 13.88 | England |
| Scunthorpe | 6.87 | 13.84 | England |
| Hinckley | 4.89 | 13.82 | England |
| Swansea | 6.4 | 13.8 | Wales |
| Newton Abbot | 7.72 | 13.74 | England |
| Telford | 8.62 | 13.66 | England |
| Livingston | 7.75 | 13.56 | Scotland |
| Eastbourne | 7.34 | 13.28 | England |
| West Wickham (London) | 9.64 | 13.26 | England |
| Barnet (London) | 6.17 | 13.18 | England |
| Lowestoft(Mobbs Way) | 7.09 | 13.16 | England |
| Chadderton | 8.3 | 13.06 | England |
| Loughton (London) | 6.91 | 13.04 | England |
| Lincoln | 7.51 | 13.02 | England |
| Bristol (Avonmouth) | 8.4 | 13.02 | England |
| Uxbridge (London) | 7.06 | 12.74 | England |
| Peterborough | 8.81 | 12.72 | England |
| Leicester (Cannock Street) | 6.23 | 12.7 | England |
| Kings Lynn | 7.38 | 12.68 | England |
| Cardiff (Llanishen) | 8.15 | 12.66 | Wales |
| Bridlington | 6.85 | 12.56 | England |
| Warwick (Wedgenock House) | 7.53 | 12.56 | England |
| Isleworth (Fleming Way) | 8.85 | 12.56 | England |
| Brentwood (London) | 5.49 | 12.4 | England |
| Bedford | 8.21 | 12.4 | England |
| Slough (London) | 8.85 | 12.38 | England |
| Kirkcaldy | 6.91 | 12.34 | Scotland |
| Maidstone | 8.06 | 12.3 | England |
| Nottingham (Chilwell) | 4.55 | 12.22 | England |
| Tolworth (London) | 6.85 | 12.18 | England |
| Perth (Arran Road) | 7.42 | 12.16 | Scotland |
| Basildon | 7.91 | 12.12 | England |
| Guildford | 7.68 | 12.04 | England |
| Gateshead | 6.68 | 12.02 | England |
| Carlisle | 8.53 | 11.92 | England |
| Grimsby Coldwater | 7.4 | 11.88 | England |
| Newport (Gwent) | 6.94 | 11.6 | Wales |
| Burgess Hill | 6.49 | 11.56 | England |
| Workington | 6.68 | 11.48 | England |
| Bury (Manchester) | 7.58 | 11.48 | England |
| Hither Green (London) | 9 | 11.44 | England |
| Banbury | 6.36 | 11.42 | England |
| Loughborough | 6.08 | 11.18 | England |
| Barrow In Furness | 5.13 | 11.16 | England |
| Crewe | 8.26 | 11.16 | England |
| Dumfries | 6.62 | 11.14 | Scotland |
| Basingstoke | 7.4 | 11.14 | England |
| Hastings (Ore) | 5.42 | 11.12 | England |
| Folkestone | 7.26 | 11.04 | England |
| Chorley | 7.75 | 10.94 | England |
| Atherton (Manchester) | 7.62 | 10.9 | England |
| Dorchester | 7.53 | 10.88 | England |
| Wallasey | 7.75 | 10.78 | England |
| Nuneaton | 5.53 | 10.76 | England |
| Tunbridge Wells | 6.98 | 10.74 | England |
| Salisbury | 7.25 | 10.74 | England |
| Upton | 7.94 | 10.7 | England |
| Bodmin | 7.08 | 10.64 | England |
| Sale (Manchester) | 8.85 | 10.64 | England |
| Rochdale (Manchester) | 7.89 | 10.58 | England |
| Galashiels | 7.74 | 10.4 | Scotland |
| Chichester | 6.49 | 10.16 | England |
| Chertsey (London) | 7.23 | 10.16 | England |
| Rhyl | 8.64 | 9.94 | Wales |
| Mitcham (London) | 7.47 | 9.86 | England |
| Lancing | 7.79 | 9.44 | England |
| Monmouth | 5.62 | 9.42 | Wales |
| Ludlow | 6.66 | 9.34 | England |
| Norwich (Peachman Way) | 8.98 | 9.3 | England |
| Newport (Isle of Wight) | 8.09 | 9.22 | England |
| Merthyr Tydfil | 7.02 | 9.2 | Wales |
| Ipswich | 9.25 | 9.14 | England |
| Abergavenny | 5.75 | 9.1 | Wales |
| Darlington | 7.34 | 9.04 | England |
| Boston | 6 | 8.9 | England |
| Peterhead | 6.23 | 8.62 | Scotland |
| Launceston | 8.58 | 8.62 | England |
| Llantrisant | 8.06 | 8.5 | Wales |
| Bridgend | 7.17 | 8.48 | Wales |
| Farnborough | 7.98 | 8.48 | England |
| Grantham (Somerby) | 6.02 | 8.46 | England |
| Bury St Edmunds | 6.13 | 8.42 | England |
| Yeading (London) | 7.67 | 8.42 | England |
| Stoke-On-Trent (Cobridge) | 10.43 | 8.06 | England |
| Canterbury | 6.38 | 8 | England |
| Buxton | 7.13 | 7.74 | England |
| Stafford | 9.09 | 7.72 | England |
| Ayr | 4.85 | 7.68 | Scotland |
| Bangor | 8.87 | 7.52 | Wales |
| Redhill Aerodrome | 7.15 | 7.2 | England |
| Pembroke Dock | 2.91 | 6.66 | Wales |
| Newtown | 6.08 | 6.52 | England |
| Elgin | 8.26 | 6.52 | Scotland |
| Wrexham | 5.19 | 6.18 | Wales |
| Llanelli | 4.08 | 6.1 | Wales |
| Macclesfield | 7.17 | 5.98 | England |
| Inverness (Seafield Road) | 7.02 | 5.96 | Scotland |
| Watnall | 5.26 | 5 | England |
| Norwich (Jupiter Road) | 8.98 | 4.94 | England |
| Carmarthen | 3.32 | 4.52 | Wales |
| Cardigan | 3.04 | 4.06 | Wales |
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Soldato
- Joined
- 19 Oct 2002
- Posts
- 17,728
- Location
- Shakespeare’s County
Leave it to the student to book when ready and then wait for 6 months for a date meanwhile spending hundreds to keep the driving sharp enough to pass. Not sure thats a better alternative.
The system is broken currently yes. Students can book a test, then only start learning 2-3 months away from it say. It's if they fail that it's a killer, since then they have to wait another 6 months so the money spent learning is partially wasted since the skills fade away. Not to mention the cost.
I think the waits would come down though if we stopped all the gaming the system and only allowed genuine test bookings.
I think the waits would come down though if we stopped all the gaming the system and only allowed genuine test bookings.
I just want to quote this for the bants.
Some people just wanna watch the world burn.
On topic however, I did my motorcycle test a couple of years ago and my riding school booked the test, assuming they had it available beforehand and simply shuffle stuff around based on whoever's ready. They didn't charge anything extra either.
We need more driving test examiners, there's a reason you see the DVSA at every single job fair in the country. Unfortnuately as with all gov jobs the pay sucks balls so there's very little incentive to do it.
2/3 years ago the trick was to book any date for any test anywhere in the country that had availability. Think of the most remote places you can and search there. I used Barrow IIRC. Then, use a cancellation-finding service. For this to work you must have a test booked somewhere. Worst case is that you have to take your test somewhere fairly far from you (or cancel) but we found a cancellation at the local test centre within a few days, so the total wait was ~2 weeks or something like that.
The whole system is broken.
The whole system is broken.
The test centre in my local town got raided by police in the early 00s for failing people to a quota. Seems nothing changed.
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