Hundreds of drivers failing to show up for tests

Hundreds of candidates are failing to attend driving tests that were booked, a Freedom of Information request has revealed.

On average, a candidate fails to attend a test at both Bristol centres in Avonmouth and Kingswood every day, data from the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) shows.

While many learners find booking a test in their home city almost impossible, every day there is likely to be a test cancelled because nobody turns up, the Local Democracy Reporting Service said.

Speaking in April, transport secretary Heidi Alexander said: "We inherited an enormous backlog of learners ready to ditch their L-plates but being forced to endure record waiting time for their tests."

Between October 2023 and September 2024, 439 tests did not go ahead in Kingswood because candidates did not show up, an average of 37 every month.

During the same period, 344 tests did not go ahead in Avonmouth for the same reason, an average of 29 every month.

In both centres, this represents about 3% of all tests conducted.

Just four tests did not go ahead on average each month in the two Bristol centres because candidates arrived late; while six tests did not go ahead because of mechanical failure, the second most common reason after candidates not turning up.

Learner drivers across the country have been struggling to book tests for several years now, with a giant backlog first building up during the pandemic.

The crisis has since got worse, with companies using bots to book tests and then resell them to learners at an inflated price.

Ms Alexander said in April: "I am instructing DVSA to take further action immediately to reduce waiting times which will see thousands of additional tests made available every month. We're acting fast to get Britain's drivers moving."

The DVSA said in April that it was "continuing to reduce waiting times, and to encourage learners to only book their test when they're ready".

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