John Milne, Liberal Democrat MP for Horsham, has warned that the current driving test system is unacceptable as learner drivers across West Sussex face waits of up to six months for a test. The local MP has launched a survey to hear directly from constituents about their experiences with the testing system.

Latest national data shows the average wait time for a practical driving test in the UK has reached 22.5 weeks. In West Sussex, test centres including Crawley, Burgess Hill, Chichester, and Worthing are all experiencing the maximum 24-week waiting time.

The crisis is being driven in part by a national shortage of driving examiners. The government has committed to recruiting 450 new examiners; however, issues of recruitment and retention remain a huge challenge.

The problem is being made worse by automated software and private resellers who exploit the booking system, snapping up test slots and charging desperate learners up to £300 to access them. DVSA closed 358 business accounts for misuse of the booking service in early 2025, but problems with practice continue.

John Milne MP in Horsham with a learner driver car.

placeholder image — John Milne MP in Horsham with a learner driver car.

The DVSA has set a target to reduce average waiting times to 7 weeks by December 2025, but only 14 test centres nationally were achieving this as of early 2025.

The Horsham MP has launched a survey to gain a comprehensive picture of how the driving test crisis is impacting constituents, whether they are currently waiting for a test or have recently completed one.

John Milne, Liberal Democrat MP for Horsham, said: “I want to hear from anyone in Horsham and West Sussex who has struggled to book a driving test. These delays aren’t just frustrating; they are leaving learner drivers stranded, unable to access the independence they need for work, education, and daily life. We need to look more closely at what can be done to solve this issue both locally and nationally.”

Constituents are encouraged to share their experiences through John Milne’s survey at: johnmilne.org.uk/driving-tests-survey.

The Horsham MP recently met with local driving instructor, Cheryl Zimmermann, to discuss the challenges facing learners in the constituency.

Cheryl Zimmermann from Chezzimm Driving School said: “What’s most frustrating isn’t just the long wait, but the amount of tests going to waste due to no-shows. Since the cancellation period was extended to 10 working days, there’s no incentive to cancel tests at short notice if candidates are unable to take them, because they will not be refunded the £62 test fee.”

“If the test fee were higher, more people would cancel tests they are unable to take to get a refund. This would also provide funds to raise the examiners’ pay rate, which in turn would make the role of an examiner more appealing, and examiner retention would increase.”

Mr Milne recently joined Liberal Democrat colleagues in writing a letter to Transport Minister Lilian Greenwood MP, demanding detailed updates on the government’s seven-point plan to fix the driving test booking system. In response, the government has confirmed that 271 new driving examiners have been recruited and trained nationally since last July, with a further 80 currently in training.

However, the Liberal Democrats say the government’s figures don’t even touch the surface and equate to less than one examiner per UK test centre. They are calling for more examiners to be recruited with competitive pay and conditions, tougher action against third-party bots and resellers, and more out-of-hours tests to expand capacity.