Learners eager to schedule their driving tests are falling victim to exploitation by automated bots, according to a warning issued by Members of Parliament.
A group of 38 MPs penned a letter to Local Transport Minister Simon Lightwood expressing concerns over scammers purchasing test slots from the DVSA’s official portal to resell at a profit.
DVSA releases test slots every Monday at 6 am, but a significant number are swiftly taken, with some learners being convinced to pay substantial “arrangement fees” to secure quicker bookings.
As a result, learners are struggling to secure test appointments and are resorting to paying up to £500, significantly higher than the standard weekday test fee of £62.
The issue stems from the practice of swapping test dates, which saw a surge during the Covid-19 pandemic and is now being exploited. Data reveals a sharp increase in license number swapping, with around a quarter of tests being swapped at least once, and 29,000 tests being swapped ten times or more.
Labour MP Amanda Hack orchestrated the letter and called upon ministers to take decisive action to combat the problem of inflated test prices.
In response, a Department for Transport spokesperson mentioned ongoing efforts to crackdown on scammers, emphasizing the implementation of measures to enhance test availability and reduce waiting times.
The spokesperson highlighted progress made in increasing the number of driving examiners and trainers to expand testing capacity, with a commitment to further improvements to make driving tests more accessible and affordable.
