Learner drivers are still facing waits of about 20 weeks to book driving tests, despite a target for the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency to reduce average waiting times to seven weeks.
The continued delays mean many people trying to progress towards a full driving licence remain unable to secure a test within the timeframe the agency had been expected to achieve.
The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency had been given a target to cut the average waiting time to seven weeks. However, the latest position described in the supplied material indicates that learners are still waiting almost three times as long as that benchmark to book a test.
The gap between the target and the current waiting time highlights the continuing pressure on the driving test booking system. For learner drivers, extended waits can affect planning for lessons, employment, education or other commitments where being able to drive may be important.
No further details were provided in the supplied material on the cause of the continued delays, the areas most affected, or any new measures being taken by the agency. The latest known position is that average waiting times remain at around 20 weeks, compared with the seven-week target previously set for the DVSA.
