Coronavirus restrictions have created huge waiting lists for learner drivers to get their driving tests booked with some centres faring better than others.

While many test centres across the country have no spaces left to book, others have bucked the trend offering much shorter wait times, including Southampton.

Bespoke vehicle accessories website, CarMats.co.uk, decided to look into the situation to discover where in the country you will wait the longest, and shortest, times.


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Using DVSA data on driving test centres, it recorded the top 100 test centres according to how many tests were carried out between April 2021 to now, then used the Driving-Test-Cancellations-4All tool to find out wait times and availability at each of the centres.

The top 10 worst test centres in terms of their waiting times include Reading, Manchester, Cardiff, Peterborough and several locations in London, all of which have no tests available.

Conversely, Southampton came in at number four in the list of test centres with the best waiting times meaning learners can get a slot within 14 weeks.

Making up the top three were Kirkcaldy with a miniscule two week wait, Speke in Liverpool with a wait of 10 weeks and Plymouth at 13 weeks.

Top 20 worst test centres for waiting times

Here is the full list of the top 20 worst test centres for waiting times.

  1. Goodmayes (London) – No tests available
  2. Isleworth (Fleming Way) (London) – No tests available
  3. Slough (London) – No tests available
  4. Morden (London) – No tests available
  5. Chingford (London) - No tests available
  6. Reading – No tests available
  7. West Didsbury (Manchester) – No tests available
  8. Mill Hill (London) – No tests available
  9. Cardiff (Llanishen) – No tests available
  10. Peterborough – No tests available
  11. Hither Green (London) – No tests available
  12. Tolworth (London) – No tests available
  13. Cambridge (Brookmount Court) – No tests available
  14. Chadderton – No tests available
  15. Oxford (Cowley) - No tests available
  16. Cheetham Hill (Manchester) - No tests available
  17. Bletchley - No tests available
  18. Sale (Manchester) - No tests available
  19. Luton - No tests available
  20. Barking (Tanner Street) (London) - No tests available

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Top 20 best driving test centres for waiting times

Here is the full list of the top 20 best test centres for waiting times.

  1. Kirkcaldy – 2 weeks
  2. Speke (Liverpool) – 10 weeks
  3. Plymouth – 13 weeks
  4. Southampton (Maybush) – 14 weeks
  5. Exeter – 14 weeks
  6. Upton – 14 weeks
  7. Derby (Alvaston) – 15 weeks
  8. Worcester – 15 weeks
  9. Blackpool – 15 weeks
  10. Wolverhampton – 17 weeks
  11. Newton Abbot – 17 weeks
  12. Rotherham – 17 weeks
  13. Norris Green (Liverpool) – 18 weeks
  14. Dudley – 18 weeks
  15. Portsmouth – 18 weeks
  16. Doncaster – 18 weeks
  17. Poole – 19 weeks
  18. Leeds – 20 weeks
  19. Bradford (Thornbury) – 20 weeks
  20. Bristol (Kingswood) – 21 weeks