The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) has taken a decisive step forward in modernising the way driving tests are booked and managed.

It has awarded a contract to digital transformation firm Kainos to develop the Driver Services Platform (DSP).

This is intended to provide a flexible, user-centric system designed to replace the two-decade-old Testing and Registration System (TARS).

Time for change

Waiting times for driving tests have reached unprecedented highs.

As of May 2025, the average waiting time across Great Britain stands at 22.5 weeks, with England averaging 22.8 weeks, Scotland 21 weeks, and Wales 19.1 weeks.

Nearly 81% of test centres now have the maximum 24-week delay.

In London, like elsewhere, waiting times have ballooned from around 8 weeks a decade ago to over 22 weeks today.

This backlog stems in part from post-pandemic demand, but also from bots and middlemen snapping up test slots before honest learners can access them.

One learner revealed she was 23,000th in an online queue, akin to buying festival tickets.

Meanwhile, bots booked and resold slots for up to £250, compared to the £65 government fee.

The DVSA has issued hundreds of warnings, suspended accounts, and closed over 800 business accounts for misuse of the booking service.

 

 

A fresh start

The long-awaited Driver Services Platform aims to overhaul TARS by delivering a more resilient, user-friendly system.

Initially, the platform will focus on car test bookings, with motorcycle and heavy vehicle modules to follow.

A controlled beta test, involving real learners and instructors, will precede a full rollout via GOV.UK after a Government Digital Service (GDS) assessment.

Designed as a Tier 1 government project, DSP has undergone the same scrutiny as major infrastructure schemes, reflecting its scale and importance.

Tackling the backlog

The government has promised to clear the backlog by summer 2026, aiming for a target average waiting time of seven weeks.

To achieve this, the DVSA has introduced various changes:

• 10,000 additional driving test slots will be added each month

• Examiner training capacity to double, while qualified staff are urged to return temporarily to frontline testing

• Overtime incentives will encourage more testing hours from existing examiners

Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander framed the surge in backlog as “totally unacceptable” and has defended the new measures as essential for unlocking employment opportunities for young people and others hindered by long waits.

Learners and instructors continue to be frustrated.

“It’s nearly impossible … I waited almost three months for a test date after many lessons,” recalls 22-year-old Menelik Calvin from Wolverhampton.

Driving instructor Donna Michelle Evans warns that staff shortages and fierce competition via bots are piling pressure on learners:

“The earliest test I can book for my pupil is in September.”

Carrying forward work that has been long delayed, the Independent Office for Audit is investigating the causes and DVSA’s response to this widespread failure in access and fairness.

 

Ahead

The DSP represents a long-overdue digital upgrade, promising a fairer, more robust booking system that puts user needs first and blocks exploitative practices.

But with a backlog still measured in months and progress slow, many learners are left waiting in limbo.

Success hinges on cooperation between DVSA, government, instructors, candidates and tech partners to deliver real results.