By Chris Bensted & Ian Brett, The DITC
Today’s Transport Select Committee update has confirmed what many of us in the driver training industry have feared – the DVSA will not be meeting its targets for reducing test waiting times any time soon.
This comes at a crucial point for the industry. Instructors are under pressure, pupils are frustrated, and the backlog continues to drag on.
After meeting with Shadow Transport Secretary Richard Holden earlier today to share the voice of driving instructors, we came straight out to find this latest announcement. Here’s what you need to know, what it means for you, and why it matters.
The Numbers That Don’t Add Up
The DVSA’s own figures say it all. To bring waiting times back to target, they need around 400 additional driving examiners.
They’ve recruited 360 so far.
But when you factor in retirements, resignations, and people leaving for other roles, the net gain is just 40 examiners – roughly 10% of what’s needed.
That means despite the effort and the headlines, the situation on the ground won’t change much. Waiting lists remain long, and test centre pressure continues to mount.
Borrowed Examiners from the Ministry of Defence
In a move that’s raised eyebrows, the DVSA has confirmed it will be using Ministry of Defence (MoD) examiners to help tackle the backlog.
These are civilian staff who already conduct driving tests for service personnel. The tests themselves are identical to the civilian version, but the examiners won’t have completed DVSA’s internal training route.
36 MoD examiners will be made available to help… but only one day a week.
So while that headline number might sound like a boost, in practice it’s equivalent to just over six extra full-time examiners nationwide.
Better than nothing, yes. But nowhere near the capacity needed to bring waiting times back under control.
And we still don’t know where these examiners will be allocated – or if the benefit will reach the areas that need it most.
What About ADI Part 2 and 3 Tests?
This latest announcement focuses entirely on learner driver tests, with no mention of Part 2 or Part 3 waiting times.
For PDIs and instructor trainers, that’s worrying. Every time the DVSA moves examiner capacity to cover L-test demand, it pushes instructor testing further down the list.
We’re already seeing PDIs trapped in limbo – trained, ready, and waiting – but unable to qualify or progress because the system can’t give them a date. This latest plan doesn’t fix that.
Learners to Book Tests Directly
Perhaps the most controversial change is that the online booking system will soon be restricted to learners only.
This means instructors and schools will no longer be able to manage bookings directly through the OBS (Online Booking System). Pupils will have to book tests themselves using the public system.
On the surface, that might sound empowering. In reality, it could add chaos.
Many instructors already let pupils handle their own bookings, but removing instructor access entirely risks:
- More pupils booking tests before they’re ready
- More cancellations and wasted test slots
- More pressure on instructors to pick up late-notice “anyone free?” calls
- Less control over test readiness and safety decisions
The DVSA’s “Ready to Pass?” campaign was designed to reduce exactly these issues. This new change could undo much of that progress.
Limited Test Swaps and Regional Restrictions
The DVSA also plans to limit how and where learners can move their test dates.
At the moment, many pupils book tests at distant locations (York, Bangor, Aberdeen…) simply to get a slot, then use cancellation services to move the test closer.
Under the new system, that flexibility will be restricted. It will become geographically harder to switch test centres.
While this might reduce “test tourism,” it could make life even harder for learners in high-demand areas like the South East, where local availability is already dire.
Our View: A Step, but Not a Solution
At the DITC, we welcome any attempt to address the examiner crisis – but this looks more like a reaction than a resolution.
Borrowing examiners one day a week and locking instructors out of the booking system might give the appearance of action, but it doesn’t solve the fundamental issue: we need sustainable examiner capacity and industry partnership, not short-term patches.
There’s no evidence yet that these changes will shorten waiting times, improve test quality, or help the professionals trying to support learners safely.
What Happens Next
We’ll be following this closely and feeding back directly to the DVSA, DfT, and Parliament.
As one of the few independent voices representing instructors at a national level, we’ll continue to make sure your views are heard – clearly and constructively.
If you want to be part of that voice, join us.
👉 Join the DITC today and help us make the case for a fairer, more functional driver testing system.
Watch the Full Video
🎬 Chris Bensted & Ian Brett discuss today’s Transport Select Committee announcement
The DITC (Driving Instructor and Trainers Collective)
Representing independent ADIs and PDIs. Supporting, informing, and giving the industry a voice that’s impossible to ignore.
Posted by Chris Bensted
November 12, 2025
