Since the COVID-19 pandemic, learners have struggled to find a driving test, with many waiting six months.
However, many learners nationwide find that the wait for a driving test has rapidly decreased.
Whilst learner drivers in London and Birmingham still struggle to get a test date within six months, learners in the North of England can get a test as early as the middle of March.
If you are taking driving lessons in Hartlepool, you can get a test nearly every day from the 17 April onwards.
Along with Hartlepool, learners in Manchester, Middlesbrough, Northallerton and York can get a test sooner than learners in the South of England.
The DVSA has previously stated that they would make more tests available by hiring new examiners, but getting a test is still incredibly competitive.
In the past, learner drivers have resorted to booking a driving test through third-party websites, with several paying as much as three times more than the original price.
It was revealed that bots bought driving tests in mass blocks and resold them at a drastic markup.
Due to this, learners were risking losing money in a bid to pass their test quickly, and lots were left empty-handed after handing over their hard-earned money.
Speaking about the increase in driving tests, our grade-A driving instructor in Hartlepool, Nikki Bowns, said, “Over the last few months, we have seen it become more accessible and easier for learners to get a driving test in their area.
“This has shown great growth in the industry and has allowed the backlog that had been building up to clear, with tests now becoming freely available to all learners.
“I have noticed an increase in learners booking tests in areas they are not comfortable driving in an attempt to pass their driving test. I have seen learners from London attempt their driving test in Middlesborough and fail because they were so desperate to pass.”
Unfortunately, learners in Eastbourne, Luton, Nottingham and Oxford still have to wait at least four months for a driving test.
If you believe that you are test ready, we recommend discussing this with your driving instructor, as they will help you assess your skills and help you search for a closer test date.
