How much do driving lessons at SUX-S cost?

Our manual driving lessons in Bradford are affordable and we offer flexible packages to suit your needs. Contact us for exact pricing.

Do you offer automatic lessons?

No, we only offer manual driving lessons.

How can I book a driving lesson?

You can book your lessons online through our website or by calling our contact number directly.

Do you provide flexible lesson times?

Yes, we offer flexible lesson times to fit around your schedule, including evenings and weekends.

Where are your lessons available?

We provide manual driving lessons throughout Bradford and surrounding areas.

DVSA's New Driving Test Booking Changes: Are They Enough to Tackle Long Wait Times?

sux-ssom
Dec 11
2 min read

The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) has recently announced planned changes to come in the spring 2026 to the way practical driving tests are booked across the UK. These changes aim to reduce the long waiting times for driving test slots, a problem that has persisted since the Covid-19 lockdown in 2019. For learners in places like Bradford, where waiting times have been particularly frustrating, this news brings hope. But will these changes be enough? Let’s explore what the DVSA has introduced and consider whether these measures will truly make a difference.

Eye-level view of a UK driving test centre entrance with a waiting area outside — Photo of a driving lesson

What Caused the Long Wait Times?

The Covid-19 pandemic forced the DVSA to suspend practical driving tests for months in 2020. When tests resumed, strict social distancing and safety measures reduced the number of tests that could be conducted daily. This created a backlog of thousands of learners waiting for their test slots. Since then, demand for tests has surged, partly due to the backlog and partly because many young people and adults are eager to get their licences.

Some people have made a profitable business by exploiting this situation, as they scoop up a lot of these test slots as soon as they are realeased and then sell them to pupils for a profit, this can range from £100 - £500.

The following changes that has been announced by DVSA.

When the new rules will be introduced

The new rules for booking and managing car driving tests will be introduced from spring 2026.

The exact date will be confirmed nearer the time.

What the new rules are

The new rules will mean that, as a learner driver:

only you will be allowed to book your own driving test – your driving instructor will not be able to book it for you
you will only be allowed to make a total of 2 changes to your driving test appointment
you will only be allowed to move your test to centres near to where you originally booked

What will count as changes

These things each count as a change:

changing the date or time
changing the test centre
swapping your appointment with another learner driver who already has a test booked

If you need to make more changes

If you need to make more changes after you have used your 2 changes, you have to cancel your test and rebook it.

You’ll get a full refund if you give at least 10 full working days’ notice.

We think changes will make some improvement but we think it should have gone further as we have been in this situation for nearly 6 years. Currently at Thornbury and Heaton test centres there are no slots at all to be found, what do pupils taking driving lessons in Bradford do?

These are some good changes for a problem we have had since 2019.

You will only be allowed to make a total of 2 changes to your driving test appointment.

Why keep this door open? If a pupil wants to change their test date by changing it rather than cancelling and then rebooking will they get an earlier date than others? and if not why keep the door open that has been used for exploitation?

Good Luck to all that have upcoming driving tests.

Thank you