ASHBY MP Amanda Hack has revealed the extent of driving test re-sales.

Since the Covid pandemic, a lack of available driving tests has become a perennial problem, often attributed to widespread re-selling of test slots at prices more than double the original £62 fee. 

A written question to the Roads Minister has revealed the extent of the driving test re-selling problem. 

When booking a test on the DVSA website, applicants must enter a provisional licence number. 

However, some rogue operators exploit the system by using "instructors' access" to block book multiple slots under a single licence number, only swapping to the actual applicants' licence number once they have received a re-sale price way beyond their original. 

Therefore, the number of driving tests where licence numbers are swapped from their original is a potential indicator of the scale of resale across the country. 

North West Leicesterhire MP Amanda Hac. Photo: Supplied

According to data from the Department for Transport, reselling has surged since the pandemic, rising from around three per cent in January 2019 to a peak of over 30 per cent in October 2023. 

Ms Hack, MP for North West Leicestershire, said: "As an area with limited public transport and no passenger train line, residents in North West Leicestershire are often forced to use cars to get around. 

"Learner drivers have raised concerns about the lack of available driving test slots and the high prices of resold tests. 

"Data shows that potentially more than 25 per cent of driving tests are being resold back to learners at much higher prices. I know that the Roads Minister has been actively working to train 250 new examiners this year and recruiting another 200, so we should see more availability coming down the track. 

"I am pleased that the DVSA has issued over 300 warnings, 750 suspensions, and closed over 700 businesses for misuse of its booking service to tackle the issue.

"The surge in driving test reselling poses a significant challenge for aspiring drivers and highlights the need for further measures to restore fairness in the booking system. 

"The fight against driving test reselling is ongoing, and with continued vigilance and support, we can create a more equitable system for all."