LEARNER drivers in Basingstoke have been given advice about booking a practical exam as they face lengthy waits to take a test.

As previously reported, a mum from Basingstoke said her son had tried to book a test in the town and nothing came up for the entire year.

Read more: Basingstoke learner driver found no tests available for an entire year

Another parent also got in touch to say she has been trying to book a practical test for her son in Basingstoke since May 2022.

The mum, who asked not to be named, said when she asked the Driver, Vehicle and Standards Agency (DVSA) about the problem she was told the lengthy wait was because of the pandemic and a shortage of examiners.

“I asked about joining a queue or getting alerts when new tests were posted and was told it is a live system, no queue, no alerts you just have to keep looking,” she said.

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She added: “This is very frustrating as it means someone who has been trying for months may miss out to someone who gets lucky after looking for only a short period of time.

"Additionally, the theory pass is valid for two years, after that you have to resit [which means] more costs and you can’t book a practical test unless you have an in-date theory pass.”

The mum said her son could book his test in Winchester for July, but she said this would cost more because he would have to book his instructor’s car along with having the disadvantage of doing his test on unfamiliar roads.

A spokesperson for the DVSA confirmed there is no waiting list to book a practical exam and said new dates are released once a week.

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He advised learner drivers looking to book a test not to use apps, which he said attempt to book cancellations but then fail to keep the user updated on their test.

He said: “Candidates should be prepared to travel to other nearby test centres, as candidates should be prepared to drive on any roads, not just those routes which they have practiced.”

He added: “Checking frequently, and being flexible, is the best way to get a driving test.”

The DVSA was unable to confirm the wait time for a test in Basingstoke but said the average waiting time in Britain is 15.7 weeks and could be up to 24 weeks in some areas.

The agency said it does not know how the recent strike action by examiners will impact the wait for driving tests in Basingstoke.

Basingstoke test centre in Brighton Hill was one of those affected by the Public and Commercial Services (PCS) union strike earlier this month over pay, job security and redundancy terms.