Daisy Cooper, MP for St Albans, has welcomed new figures showing increased driving test availability across the St Albans area, following years of her exerting pressure on the government and the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) to tackle long waiting times.
In response to Daisy’s most recent parliamentary question on this issue, the government confirmed that seven new driving examiners have now completed training and are conducting tests at centres serving St Albans, with a further two examiners due to begin training and eight more job offers made following recent recruitment campaigns.
The figures also reveal that, as of 11 May 2026, there are now hundreds of driving test slots available across the Borehamwood, St Albans and Watford test centres within the 24-week booking window.
The DVSA also confirmed that between June 2025 and April 2026, an additional 144 practical driving tests were carried out through overtime arrangements compared with the previous year.
Daisy said:
“For far too long, learner drivers in St Albans have faced completely unacceptable waits to book a driving test. I know from supporting constituents that it’s caused huge frustration for young people, workers and families.
“I have repeatedly raised this issue in Parliament and pressed ministers to increase examiner numbers and expand test availability, so I am pleased that we are now seeing some progress.
“The recruitment of additional driving examiners and the increase in overtime tests is welcome news and should help reduce the backlog facing local learners.
“However, there is still more work to do. Waiting times remain too long, and I will continue pushing the Government and DVSA until residents can access driving tests quickly and fairly.”
This parliamentary question continues years of Daisy holding the government to account on improving access to driving tests in St Albans. She first raised this in September 2021 and has continued to challenge the successive governments, questioning them on recruitment of new driving examiners and action to address tests being booked by automated bots and re-sold at inflated prices.
