The Liberal Democrats have demanded a full investigation into claims that touts are paying driving instructors for access to the official test-booking system, following a BBC investigation. The party described the findings as "appalling, but unfortunately not surprising" and called on ministers to address the exploitation of young learners and the mounting test backlog.
Touts are reportedly offering driving instructors £250 a month for their login details to the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) booking system. This enables them to block-book test slots and resell them to desperate learners at prices far exceeding the standard £75 fee.
Lib Dem transport spokesman Olly Glover said: «I have been contacted by some Oxfordshire constituents who have had to book tests hundreds of miles away as the only way to beat this failing system. Many others have to pay hundreds of pounds to buy driving test slots from the middlemen that are exploiting young people. The Government needs to get a grip on this issue, and they can start by launching a full investigation into these touts, to establish the scale of this problem and hold those responsible accountable.»
Evidence ignored
Oxfordshire driving instructor Peter Brooks submitted evidence of tout payments to the DVSA but said «nothing has ever happened». His complaint highlights frustration among instructors who have tried to alert authorities to the practice.
The outgoing DVSA chief executive, Loveday Ryder, stepped down after almost five years amid the growing crisis. Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander told the Commons Transport Committee she would be «looking to the new leadership» to «really get a grip on the issue of driving test wait times» as a «top priority» for the agency.
Massive backlog
The number of learner drivers with a future test booking has surged from 220,000 before the pandemic in 2020 to 642,000 by the end of October. This represents an increase of around 70,000 since October 2024, when approximately 572,000 learners were waiting.
The government has announced measures to tackle the backlog, including banning instructors from booking tests for others. Alexander has committed to new rules requiring learners to book their own tests, limiting how often tests can be rearranged, and preventing slots from being moved to different regions. Military driving instructors will provide 6,500 additional tests over the next year.
Note: This article was created with Artificial Intelligence (AI).
