'Booking a driving test? I was 17,530 in the queue'

Martin Druce spent weeks trying to secure a driving test appointment for his grandson

A grandfather who spent weeks trying to book a driving test for his grandson says the system is holding young people back from getting jobs.

Martin Druce, who lives near Wimborne, Dorset, got up at 05:30 BST every Monday for weeks to secure a test appointment on the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) website.

On one occasion he was 17,530 in the queue but, after an hour and a half, a message flashed up saying he was a bot and he was kicked out of the system.

DVSA said it was "taking decisive action to reduce driving test waiting times by making more tests available".

The backlog of learners waiting to take their tests increased during the Covid pandemic when driving tests were put on hold.

Every week, DVSA makes more tests available but many are rapidly booked up by bots - automated software that can act much faster than humans.

Companies then resell the test slots to desperate candidates at inflated prices.

Bots book up available test slots, leaving genuine learners frustrated.

Speaking to BBC Radio Solent's Dorset Breakfast show, Mr Druce said: "I found out they [DVSA] released tests on a Monday morning at 6am in blocks so I got up several Monday mornings at half past five."

He said, after watching the queue tick down from 17,500 to just 500, a message popped up saying "we think you're a bot, goodbye".

After several weeks, Mr Druce eventually managed to book an appointment for his grandson in January 2026.

"He wanted to be driving by now," Mr Druce said.

"Young people have a hard enough time finding jobs these days.

"I live in a rural area and the public transport system is non-viable here - it would probably take you half the day to get to Bournemouth.

"If you've got a vehicle, the job market suddenly expands."

DVSA chief executive Loveday Ryder said: "We've carried out over 20,000 more tests between June to August this year, with the pass rate the highest it's been since May 2021.

"While there's still a long way to go, we're steadfastly committed to helping drivers ditch their L plates as soon as they're ready."