Mum criticises worsening driving test backlogs

A woman from Kent who is desperate to get a driving licence so she can take her disabled daughter to hospital appointments has criticised the government for failing to deal with a backlog of tests.

Prior to the Covid pandemic, the wait for a test was six weeks. It is now more than four months, the transport select committee has heard.

Emily Hughes, from Folkestone, said she was first told it would not be until 2026 before she could take her test, but has since found a vacancy with the help of her instructor.

The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) has apologised for the backlog and says its "top priority" is to address the issue.

Ms Hughes told the BBC: "We have a lot of [hospital] appointments, so I need to be able to get to [them].

"You just don't know when you're going to be able to get on the road."

Ms Hughes' driving instructor, Tony Simcock, says all of his pupils struggle to get tests.

He says: "With the pass rate being about 50%, they're trying really hard to pass the first time, have extra lessons to get up to that standard, but they're under such pressure on the test that it doesn't always go well for them."

On Wednesday, the transport select committee heard from learner drivers who said they were frustrated that the problem is only getting worse.

Responding to the criticisms, Loveday Ryder, the head of the DVSA, told the committee: "[The DVSA} has worked tirelessly over the last four years to try to address this situation."

Learners are also losing out to "bots", which are buying up the spare tests and selling them on at a profit.

Legitimate driving tests cost £62. The BBC has seen WhatsApp messages where tests are being offered for more than £200.

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