Anyone trying to book a driving test in Bedford and Kempston will know how frustrating the process has become.
The pandemic created a significant backlog when tests were suspended, and ongoing difficulties recruiting and retaining examiners, alongside high demand, have made it difficult for the DVSA to catch up and reach their target of 7 weeks or fewer – which right now seems a long way off.
Over the summer, Bedford’s waiting times reached the maximum 24 weeks, with some tests unavailable to book altogether.
I have been pressing for answers and recently met with the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) to discuss what it is doing to bring waiting times down.
The DVSA is temporarily bringing additional examiners into Bedford from other parts of the country to help meet demand.
Overtime and additional testing have also made a significant difference, with more than 2,100 extra driving tests delivered through overtime over the last year.
A recruitment drive is underway, with six new examiners currently in training and further offers being made. The DVSA is also widening its search for candidates to attract people from a much broader range of backgrounds.
Removing Bots
A new partnership with the Department for Work and Pensions is helping connect local people with local job opportunities.
The new learner-only booking system has made booking fairer by removing Bots and stopping people from buying up appointments to resell them at inflated prices, with accounts suspected of abusing the system being suspended.
While the DVSA works to increase capacity, I’m told there are also practical steps learners can take to make the most of the appointments available.
Only book a test when genuinely ready to take it. Turning up before you are properly prepared risks wasting an appointment that another learner may have been waiting months to secure.
Ensure the car you use is roadworthy and meets all requirements, and don’t forget to bring the necessary driving licence.
During the last financial year, 197 driving tests in Bedford were lost because candidates failed to turn up, so please cancel your test if you can’t make it to give someone else the chance to take that slot.
Learners should also keep checking the official DVSA booking system, as new appointments and cancellations can become available throughout the week.
The DVSA releases a new week of driving test appointments at 6am every Monday, including on bank holidays.
These appointments are for tests 24 weeks out. However, cancellations and other earlier slots can become available at any time during the week.
The direction of travel is more positive, but there is still much more to do.
The immediate priority is getting the new examiners through training and into Bedford’s test centre, while continuing to use overtime and additional capacity to reduce waiting times.
I will continue to press for quicker progress but the DVSA recognises that getting a driving test shouldn’t be a postcode lottery, and people in Bedford and Kempston deserve a reliable and reasonably accessible service.
This is a monthly guest column provided by
Mohammad Yasin, Labour MP for Bedford & Kempston.
It is published unedited and does not
reflect the views of the Bedford Independent.
