Learners trying to book their driving test faced online queues of more than 15,000 people this morning – joking it was ‘easier getting Oasis tickets’.
Those with a provisional licence are facing six-month waiting lists in order to secure one driving test – if they are successful in bagging a slot at all.
Beginner motorists woke up at the crack of dawn this morning to sit in an online queue on the official government website at 6am – only to discover that within less than a minute they were nearly 16,000th in the queue.
One furious parent on X, formerly Twitter, joked that it was easier bagging Oasis tickets, following the controversy surrounding Ticketmaster sales.
‘Trying to book a driving test for my son, 6am in the queue, 12,500 ahead of me, wait 40 mins to book, re-directed and then told there’s a system error,’ they said.
‘Was easier getting @oasis tickets!’
Another fumed: ‘On the driving test site at dead on 6am and there are 14k people in front of me. Happy friggin Monday.’
Have YOU struggled to book a driving test? Email katherine.lawton@mailonline.co.uk
Learners trying to book their driving test faced online queues of more than 15,000 people at 6am this morning (Stock photo)
One furious parent on X, formerly Twitter, joked that it was easier bagging Oasis tickets than it was booking a driving test
Others complained they were in a queue of thousands when trying to book this morning
A third added: ‘Managed to book my driving test – can’t believe I have to wait until mid September though, ridiculous.’
A fourth said: ‘15,685 people online at 6am trying to get a driving test booked. Something has got to be done about this surely!’
The official government website states it is faster to book tests online than booking by phone due to the lines being very busy at the moment.
It adds that the booking service is open from 6am until 11.40pm. But many claimed today that at 6am on the dot they were hit with impossibly long queues of many thousands.
Last year, a learner driver revealed she had to travel 400 miles so she could take her driving test and skip a six-month waiting list.
Kayla Van Dorsten, 18, travelled from her home in Surrey to Cornwall so she could finally take her motoring test.
Those with a provisional licence are facing six-month waiting lists in order to secure one driving test (Stock photo)
The student claims she was left with very little choice but to make the lengthy journey and stayed overnight to take her test.
She said: ‘I was already nervous about taking my driving test, but being in an unfamiliar area raised new obstacles to navigate.’
The learner told SurreyLive: ‘There were different speed limits from the local routes I had practised on and also other road users that I wasn’t familiar with, like tractors.
‘Taking the test four hours away meant I had to take two days out of education and pay for overnight accommodation and petrol to get to the test centre.
‘It was very inconvenient, but I needed to get my licence as soon as possible because I couldn’t rely on public transport anymore due to strikes to get to college.’
A DVSA spokesperson said: ‘We’re working on implementing our 7-point plan to reduce driving test waiting times.
‘The measures will help make the driving test booking system fairer for learners, better protecting them from exploitation, and continue to provide them with the tools to help them pass their test.
‘Car practical test waiting times remain high due to an increase in demand and a change in customers’ booking behaviour.’
