Driving Test Waiting Times

Bambos Charalambous, the Labour MP for Southgate and Wood Green, asked the Secretary of State for Transport, Louise Haigh, what steps she is taking to reduce driving test waiting times. In her response, the Secretary of State acknowledged that practical driving test waiting times remain far too high, a problem that the previous administration failed to address. She stated that she has met with the chief executive of the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) and driving test examiners, and has instructed her officials to work quickly to identify solutions to this widespread issue. Charalambous welcomed the fact that the Secretary of State has engaged with the DVSA leadership and expressed concern that the waiting time at the Wood Green driving test centre in his constituency was 18.64 weeks. He asked the Secretary of State to confirm that this issue is a top priority for the government, so that his constituents can be reassured that driving test waiting times will be drastically reduced. The Secretary of State acknowledged Charalambous' concerns and stated that the average waiting times at the Wood Green centre are currently just above the national average. She outlined the measures the DVSA is already taking to reduce waiting times, including conducting tests outside regular hours and deploying examiners from areas with lower waiting times. The Secretary of State also stated that the government will soon set out further steps to bring down waiting times. Jim Shannon, the DUP MP for Strangford, then intervened, thanking the Secretary of State for her response and raising the issue of the potential knock-on effect on the validity of theory tests if delays in practical tests remain unresolved. The Secretary of State acknowledged Shannon's concern and stated that she will look into the matter and write to him.