Driving Test Delays - Leigh-on-Sea

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Leigh On Sea News: Driving Test Delays - RAYLEIGH and Wickford MP, Mark Francois, has raised the issue of delays for those seeking to book driving tests, in Parliament.

UTF-8ScreenshLeigh On Sea News: Driving Test Delays – RAYLEIGH and Wickford MP, Mark Francois, has raised the issue of delays for those seeking to book driving tests, in Parliament.ot 2025-04-16 at 10.22.00

Driving Test Delays - RAYLEIGH and Wickford MP, Mark Francois, has raised the issue of delays for those seeking to book driving tests, in Parliament.

RAYLEIGH and Wickford MP, Mark Francois, has raised the issue of delays for those seeking to book driving tests, in Parliament.

Mr Francois, took an opportunity during a recent transport-related debate, to ask Transport Minister, Mike Kane MP, about growing problems his constituents have experienced in trying to book driving tests online.

Mr Francois asked the Minister: “The regulations amend the Motor Vehicles (Driving Licences) Regulations 1999. To get a driving licence, one has to pass a driving test. I have had lots of complaints from constituents, as I am sure have many right hon. and hon. Members, about the increasing wait times for driving tests.

“I have had extensive correspondence with Loveday Ryder, the chief executive of the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency, but some of the replies have been very unsatisfactory.

“Will the Minister go back to the Department and look at what we can do to speed up driving tests, in particular by combating the bots that capture the tests and sell them on for profit?”

In reply, the Minister acknowledged Mr Francois’ question and promised to write to him, with an update.

Speaking about the exchange in the Commons, Mr Francois said: “I have had an increasing number of complaints from constituents in recent months about the difficulty of booking driving tests – to the point where I have even had frustrated driving instructors come to see me about it at my constituency surgery.

“The heart of the problem seems to be rogue outfits, sometimes using computer bots, to block book test slots and then selling them on to the highest bidder.

“That’s clearly wrong and it’s why I have now raised it in Parliament and I sincerely hope that Ministers will intervene, to do something about it.”

Picture: Mark Francois MP raising the issue of problems booking driving tests in the House of Commons.

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