As you may have seen in the press, the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) has struggled to reduce practical driving test waiting times across many regions of the UK, including London. Learners have been searching for weeks without success. The delays are primarily due to the following reasons:

  • Loss of Examiners – Over the past 18 months, the DVSA has been actively recruiting new examiners but is losing more than it can hire. A Freedom of Information request revealed that on January 1st, 2023, there were 1,738 practical driving test examiners. By June 30th, this number had dropped to 1,691, meaning 47 examiners were lost during this time. The total number of examiners leaving over this period was 343, representing a significant loss of expertise.
  • Higher Demand – Since the COVID-19 pandemic, demand for driving tests has surged, and the DVSA has been unable to meet this increased demand. Despite their efforts, they were only able to reduce the waiting times between 2023 and 2024 by a marginal 0.3%.
  • Apps & Bots – The shortage of practical driving tests has given rise to a market where certain individuals use apps and bots to automatically book tests faster than a person could manually. These services often charge excessive fees, with some learners paying over £250, on top of the £62 DVSA fee. We strongly discourage using these services, as they contribute to unfair practices and sometimes offer non-existent test slots. You can book a test directly via the DVSA at Book your driving test – GOV.UK, or let us handle the booking through one of our intensive driving courses.

At A Pass 4 U, we are committed to organising practical driving courses with a test included as quickly as possible. While the challenges above make it tough, we are constantly searching and have been successful in securing tests for our learners. Although we can’t promise specific dates, we always aim to meet our customers’ preferences. To ensure satisfaction, we use a straightforward process and only request payment once the course is confirmed. Here’s how it works:

  1. Initial Contact – We will explain the process and requirements, such as passing the theory test, and gather the necessary details from the learner.
  2. Test Search – We spend considerable time searching for a practical driving test in the London area and ensure that a fully qualified instructor is available for training leading up to the test.
  3. Confirmation – Once we have confirmed a test date and instructor availability, we will contact you to discuss the details. If agreed, we will request a 25% deposit to secure the course. For courses starting within two weeks, we ask for full payment. Payment can be made securely online or by phone, and you’ll receive a receipt via email.
  4. Booking Confirmation – Written confirmation will be sent, and within 48 hours, your instructor will contact you to confirm all details and arrange tuition times.

Our intensive courses typically involve 5 hours of training per day, with a short break in the middle. The final hour on the last day is reserved for the DVSA practical driving test. For more information on our London courses, visit: Greater London Driving Courses.

If you’re based in Greater London, knowing the local roads around the test centre can be beneficial. There are many driving test centres located in and around London, you can find your nearest practical driving test centre here: https://www.gov.uk/find-driving-test-centre

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