The UK’s driving test ‘backlog’ has exceeded 600,000 for the first time, according to the latest figures from the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency.
It’s been a longstanding issue, and the number of tests booked has more than tripled since 2019, while the number of tests conducted has actually shrunk by 15% in the last 12 months.
If you pass your test today (or at any time from 1997 onwards), you’re allowed to drive a vehicle with up to 8 passengers seats and a ‘maximum authorised mass’ (MAM) of 3,500kg.
That means that for most drivers looking to become a fleet driver, whether of a light goods vehicle (LGV) or heavy goods vehicle (HGV), additional testing is required.
But the knock-on effect of the delays in driving tests could prove to be a stumbling block to a new generation of fleet drivers joining the workforce, experts believe.
Thankfully, the driver shortage issues post-Brexit and the pandemic have eased in recent years but there is a wider concern about the high average age of fleet drivers.
That’s because as drivers retire, there needs to be more young drivers entering the workforce to replace them – something which the government is keenly aware of as an issue.
The government has announced that more tests will be made available but clearing the backlog could take years…
Industry experts are now calling on the government to do more to ensure that the backlog is cleared and those looking to begin a career in LGV or HGV driving are given a quicker pathway to achieving it.
Do you think more needs to be done to create a clearer pathway for young drivers entering the fleet workforce? Let us know…
