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A shortage of driving instructors and examiners is deepening the backlog of learner drivers waiting for practical tests in the UK, with instructors warning that the system is at risk of grinding to a halt.
A growing shortage of driving instructors is worsening the delays faced by learner drivers in securing practical driving tests. According to industry experts, delays in booking instructor qualification exams, extremely high training costs, and a complicated testing process are discouraging people from entering the profession.
The Department for Transport has pledged to double examiner training capacity by summer 2026, but instructors remain doubtful about the effectiveness of these plans, fearing the current system could collapse.
The BBC found that 75% of the 319 driving test centres across Great Britain have reached the maximum average waiting time of 24 weeks. This issue is closely tied to a decline in instructor numbers, with a 10% decrease in registered Approved Driving Instructors (ADIs) over the past decade. New instructor registrations for 2024-25 have also halved compared to the previous year.
Trainee instructors, who have two years to pass four qualifying tests, often face long waits for exam dates. This leaves many struggling to complete their qualifications on time. Elwyn Marfell-Jones, principal instructor at Auto Learners driving school in Swansea, emphasized that a shortage of examiners is creating a ripple effect, hampering both learner driver tests and instructor training. He described the situation as a “mess” that has worsened steadily since the Covid pandemic, citing high training costs — around £50 an hour for at least 40 hours — and low pass rates (around 28%) as additional barriers.
Marfell-Jones also expressed concern about the stress faced by trainees, sharing the case of a trainee who had her test cancelled on the morning of the exam and faced a four-month wait for a new slot. He fears some aspiring instructors may abandon their training altogether due to the mounting pressures.
Moreover, standards checks for instructors, which are supposed to happen every four years, are also delayed, with some waiting up to eight years. In response, Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander has instructed the DVSA to intensify efforts to cut waiting times, including expanding examiner training capacity.
However, Lynne Barrie, president of the Approved Driving Instructors National Joint Council, criticized the government’s seven-point plan introduced in late 2024, arguing it relies too heavily on consultations without real action. She also pointed out that fraudulent selling of test slots continues to undermine efforts to fix the system, even as new examiners are hire.
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