Driving test delays 'worst they have ever been'

Graham Kent has been a driving instructor for 25 years and says would-be drivers are waiting longer than ever to take their tests

Waiting times for driving tests in North Lincolnshire are the "worst they have ever been", a driving instructor claims.

Learner drivers, instructors and the local council say the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) booking system shows there is no availability at the Scunthorpe test centre until April 2026.

Graham Kent, who teaches across Hull, North Lincolnshire and Lincoln, said: "My pupils are really frustrated, particularly if they're not ready by their test and we have to postpone or if they make a mistake and have to resit."

The DVSA said its goal was to make booking a test easier and fairer and an improved pass rate "suggested learners were waiting until they were ready to pass".

In April, three quarters of the 319 driving test centres across Great Britain hit the maximum average waiting time - of 24 weeks - to book a practical test.

Mr Kent said his advice to anyone learning to drive would be: "Book your theory as soon as possible. The waiting times are the worst they have ever been."

Donna Cook's daughter passed her theory test in June and has to wait seven months for her practical assessment

Donna Cook, 46, from Scunthorpe, managed to get her daughter a driving test at the end of December. She passed her theory test in June and now requires refresher lessons at a cost of £600.

She said: "My daughter now feels ready to drive, her driving instructor told her that it's almost a waste of time having lessons, but she just can't get a test."

Ms Cook will have spent about £3,000 by the time her daughter takes her driving test and is worried if she does not pass first time.

She said: "If worst comes to worst, she takes the test and she does fail we're going to have to go through all of this rigmarole again.

"There's too many parents and kids out there spending a small fortune on driving lessons when they don't need to."

'System is broken'

After being contacted by dozens of residents, Rob Waltham, leader of North Lincolnshire Council, said he had formally raised concerns with the DVSA.

He said: "They [DVSA] have outlined a seven-point plan and a commitment to increase testing capacity by 10,000 slots per month, it's clear that these measures are not yet making a difference.

"The system is broken, and it's causing real stress and disruption for young people and families across North Lincolnshire."

According to the DVSA, the average waiting time for a car practical driving test in England as of the end of July 2025 is 22.6 weeks.

The average waiting time for Scunthorpe is 19.8 weeks.

Loveday Ryder, CEO at the DVSA, said: "We're really grateful to everyone who has responded to our recent consultation on improving driving test booking rules for learners.

"We're pleased to see that the measures we recently announced have increased the number of tests available in July 2025."

Listen to highlights from Hull and East Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, watch the latest episode of Look North or tell us about a story you think we should be covering here.

Download the BBC News app from the App Store for iPhone and iPad or Google Play for Android devices