30 Mar Essex Has One Of The Longest Driving Test Backlogs In The UK – Here’s When It Will Clear
New research reveals bittersweet news for learner drivers across Essex as data shows the driving test backlog will end, but not until January 2024.
Researchers found the county currently has one of the longest backlogs in the UK behind London, Greater Manchester and neighbouring Kent.
The analysis carried out by learner driver insurers, Marmalade, discovered a staggering 71,752 learners will battle for test slots across 2022/23 in Essex.
While some learners will secure tests as hoped, others will be left disappointed as they fall into a lengthy rollover.
The county had an estimated 4,445 learners which were unable to book a test in February and have fallen into a rollover.
In Greater Manchester and Kent 8,487 and 4,850 learners respectively were unable to book a test in that month, while London which is home to the biggest driving test backlog had a rollover of almost 30,000 learners from last month.
The 6 locations with the longest backlog of learner drivers from last month:
1) London – 27,077
2) Greater Manchester – 8,487
3) Kent – 4,850
4) Essex – 4,445
5) Hampshire – 4,243
6) Lancashire – 3,637
The backlog estimation comes after Marmalade obtained data through a Freedom of Information request showing all tests booked for 2022, as well as gross demand for tests through the DVSA across all of 2021.
As well as this, after analysing Office for National Statistics 2021 driving test data, the team were able to establish an average capacity for practical testing across the UK.
Beyond this month the rollover will continue to compound each month for the next 21 months as test-ready learners build and capacity for testing struggles to cover demand.
Capacity only becomes available from January 2024 onwards, which means another two years of delays, extra costs and frustration for thousands of learners across Essex.
Commenting on the research, Crispin Moger, CEO of Marmalade said:
“Learner drivers have been consistently impacted as a result of the pandemic and the 2020/21 lockdowns. We have seen the biggest ever backlog in access to driving tests and for many this will have set them back quite considerably in their journey to getting on the road or perhaps even ended it for some.
“The DVSA has said it is offering overtime to examiners and rolling out a recruitment drive to increase capacity, while also closing down test centres across the UK as well as we’ve seen recently in the likes of Manchester and Shropshire.”
Three top tips for learners waiting to take their test:
To help learner drivers stuck in the backlog remain on track to pass their test, Marmalade has teamed up with award-winning driving instructor Jeff Tuck.
Together they’ve come up with three ways learners can ensure they stay ‘driving test ready’ as well as discussing how they can avoid failing with the most common mistakes.
1) Practise on the roads closest to your test centre
Driving on roads you’re unfamiliar with is a skill even the most experienced of drivers struggle with. While it’s impossible to predict the exact route your examiner is going to ask you to take, your driving instructor should have a good idea based on their previous students.
Have a discussion with them on the most common routes around the centre and become comfortable driving on them. While you’re bound to have nerves while taking your driving test, practising similar routes to the one you’ll take on the day will only help settle butterflies.
2) Become comfortable driving with a sat nav directing you
While sat navs are a great help, it takes time to become accustomed to being guided by one. A great way to get used to them is to choose a different destination to drive to each week.
The key to using a sat nav is making sure you’re always thinking one step ahead. This gives you time to get into the correct lane and focus on your observations – a critical skill which often is the difference between many people passing or failing their test.
3) Perfect your manoeuvres
Like many skills, the key to conquering manoeuvres is practice, practice, practice. While practising in the car you’ll be taking the test in is preferable, simply becoming confident with the different stages involved in each manoeuvre is crucial.
Once you’re confident you have a good feel for a car and its dimensions, you’re well on your way to having a potentially tricky aspect of the driving test nailed down.
