MPs have raised concerns about learners facing difficulties booking driving tests due to bots buying up test slots for profit. A letter signed by 38 MPs addressed the issue to Local Transport Minister Simon Lightwood, highlighting scammers purchasing tests from DVSA’s portal to resell them at inflated prices.
The demand for driving tests has led to a situation where test slots released every Monday at 6am are quickly taken, with learners coerced into paying significant “arrangement fees” to secure a spot. Consequently, learners are now paying up to £500 for a test, a stark increase from the standard £62 fee on weekdays.
The practice of swapping test dates, which became more prevalent during the Covid pandemic, has been exploited, with instances of license number swapping significantly rising. Data reveals that 1 in 4 tests is currently swapped at least once, with 29,000 tests being swapped 10 times or more.
Labour MP Amanda Hack spearheaded the letter to urge the government to take decisive action against the escalating test prices. Hack emphasized the unfairness and detrimental impact on learner drivers who are being exploited by bots and third parties manipulating the system to profit from test bookings.
The Department for Transport spokesperson acknowledged the existing issues and efforts to address them. Measures have been implemented to increase test availability, including incentivizing driving examiners to conduct more tests and expanding the pool of trainers to train new examiners. Despite progress being made, further actions are planned to reduce waiting times and enhance accessibility to driving tests as part of the government’s Plan for Change.