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Starting from 12 May, significant updates will be introduced regarding the process of booking driving tests. These adjustments aim to tackle the problem of extensive waiting times, which have been as long as six months in some cases, and to eliminate the practice of automated bots and third-party companies buying test slots in bulk and reselling them at inflated rates to learner drivers.
Under the new regulations, only the learner will have the authority to book, reschedule, or swap their driving test slot. This marks a change from previous rules that allowed driving instructors to book tests on behalf of their pupils. However, appointments booked prior to this change by instructors will remain valid. A BBC investigation conducted in December revealed that some instructors were allegedly paid up to £250 monthly to provide their official test-booking login credentials to touts. These touts then exploited the system to secure large numbers of driving test slots, selling them via platforms like WhatsApp and Facebook for prices reaching as high as £500. Standard fees for tests are set at £62 on weekdays and £75 during evenings, weekends, and bank holidays.
Learners are advised to consult their instructors to ensure readiness for the test and obtain their instructor’s reference number, which needs to be entered during the booking process to confirm instructor availability. While it is permissible to assist someone else with booking or managing their driving test, the learner must be physically present during this assistance. Additionally, all booking confirmations must be sent to the learner’s own email or phone number. For those without an email address, help can be provided to create an account.
Since 31 March, there is a cap on how many times a learner can modify their test booking, limiting changes to two. This contrasts with the former allowance of six changes. Whether altering the date, time, location, or swapping the slot with another learner, each such action counts as a single change. However, the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) making changes to a test does not count against this limit. If more than two changes are necessary, the learner must cancel their existing test and schedule a new one, with refunds available if cancellation happens at least 10 working days before the test date. Starting 9 June, any requests to change the test location will be restricted to only the three nearest test centres to the original booking site, encouraging realistic planning of test dates and locations
Read the full article from The BBC here: Read More
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