Beverley Warmington has been appointed as the new Chief Executive of the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA).

Warmington will be stepping into the role in January 2026 at a pivotal moment for the UK’s driver training and testing system .

Loveday Ryder, who has led the agency since January 2021, announced she was stepping down in November amid mounting pressure over the DVSA’s failure to resolve driving test waiting times and the backlog since the Covid lockdowns.

Organisation and reform

Warmington joins the DVSA with almost two decades of public service experience.

Her most recent role was as Area Director for London, Essex and Eastern England at the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP), where she managed more than 12,000 staff across multiple sites and led large-scale operational transformation programmes.

Her appointment is said to reflect a focus on improving operational delivery, particularly in reducing the lengthy driving test backlog that has frustrated learners and industry stakeholders alike.

However, the DVSA has so far struggled to attract new examiners or raise morale and motivation amongst existing examiners.

Last month, the government announced plans to use military driving examiners to help cut the backlog.

Still, many saw this as failing to grasp the seriousness of the problems or as failing to find a genuine remedy for the issues around the driving test backlogs.

 

Unmoved

The DVSA has been under increasing pressure to reduce waiting times for practical driving tests, which have soared since the pandemic.

Analysts estimate average waits of months rather than weeks, with some industry reports suggesting targets to bring waiting times down to seven weeks may not be met until 2027.

Learners have been left in limbo, with many resorting to third-party services at inflated prices to secure test slots, a symptom of broader system strains and a thriving black market sustained by desperate candidates.

Warmington’s appointment comes amid a government seven-point plan to boost test availability, including more driving examiner recruitment to help deliver additional tests and changes to how test bookings are managed.

But very few new examiners have joined, whilst others are leaving.

Furthermore, the use of computer bots by third parties to take new releases of test bookings is compa]ounding the issues with the DVSA seemingly helpless when it comes to preventing this.

 Experience?

Ministers say Warmington brings the operational experience needed to “grip the driving test backlog” and to oversee reforms to ensure learners are tested when they are ready and safe to drive.

Meanwhile, the driver training industry has welcomed the appointment with cautious optimism.

Warmington’s operational background is seen as a positive step toward improving service delivery, and her focus on operational transformation could help ‘bridge the gap between policy and the reality learners face every day’.

However, some commentators emphasise that leadership alone will not resolve systemic issues.

The industry has highlighted long-standing concerns about examiner recruitment and retention capacity, booking system rigidity, and the need for greater transparency and communication between the DVSA and training providers, dating back to before any pandemic lockdowns.

 

 

Government and DVSA

Simon Lightwood, the Minister for Roads and Buses, said Warmington’s “wealth of operational leadership experience” will be crucial in driving improvements that support both learners and the economy, underscoring driving as “a lifeline for many, opening doors to jobs and opportunities.”

DVSA Chair Nick Bitel described Warmington’s arrival as “a huge asset across DVSA’s driver, vehicle and enforcement services,” especially as the agency continues its work to clear the backlog and enhance services for learners.

Warmington officially takes the helm on 5 January 2026.