The DVSA has launched a brand new public session geared toward tackling driving check reselling and enhancing equity for learner drivers ready to get a check. The session, which opened on 28 Might 2024 and runs till 9 July, invitations suggestions from ADIs, PDIs, learners, and the broader driver coaching group.
Excessive demand for automobile driving assessments has created alternatives for third-party operators to take advantage of learners by utilizing bots to safe check slots after which reselling them at inflated costs. In keeping with DVSA’s current name for proof, almost a 3rd of learners and fogeys admitted to utilizing unofficial providers, paying a median of £122 for earlier check dates.
The brand new session explores proposals to:
- Outline who’s allowed to guide and handle assessments
- Restrict or take away the power to swap check appointments or change places
- Restructure reserving permissions to cease bots and unauthorised resales
Relatively than pushing for a authorized ban, DVSA believes that altering the system’s design to make reselling virtually not possible is a quicker and more practical answer. These adjustments are a part of DVSA’s broader plan to cut back check ready occasions and enhance entry to the net reserving service.
DVSA Chief Govt Loveday Ryder stated: “DVSA’s objective is to make reserving a driving check simpler and fairer for everybody whereas stopping extreme costs for learner drivers.”
The session follows the Transport Secretary’s announcement on the Transport Choose Committee on 23 April 2025, which included measures to cut back ready occasions. These embody encouraging certified DVSA employees to return to testing, doubling the variety of everlasting trainers, and reinstating additional time pay for examiners. The federal government hopes to deliver common check ready occasions right down to 7 weeks by summer time 2025.
Lilian Greenwood, Minister for the Way forward for Roads, added: “This session is a vital transfer in the direction of giving learners extra say over how and the place they will guide, alongside setting out choices to raised allow DVSA to dam bots from stealing slots.”
The Nationwide Associations Strategic Partnership (NASP) has endorsed the session, stating: “The Driver Coaching business welcomes this session as a key step in enhancing accessibility and usefulness of the check reserving system for reputable customers, however equally, as an necessary step in the direction of stopping entry by these searching for to take advantage of learners by means of the illegitimate sale of check slots at extortionate costs.
“We urge pupils, mother and father and trainers to answer the session and guarantee they’re a part of enabling higher, extra environment friendly and fairer options for reserving driving assessments sooner or later.”
The session applies solely to automobile driving assessments. No adjustments are proposed for reserving motorbike, vocational, teacher or principle assessments.
To participate within the session, please go to: https://www.gov.uk/authorities/consultations/improving-car-driving-test-booking-rules/improving-car-driving-test-booking-rules
