The driving test centres with the lowest pass rates have been revealed as waiting times in Britain reach a record high.
The average waiting time to book a practical test was 20 weeks in February, up from 14 weeks a year earlier, Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) figures show.
Analysis of DVSA figures by The Independent has revealed the test centres with the lowest and highest pass rates.
There were 918,633 driving tests conducted across the country from April to September 2024, with 445,391 people passing their test. This equates to a 48.5 per cent average pass rate nationwide.
While some smaller test centres saw pass rates of nearly 90 per cent, one centre in the North of England had a pass rate of less than 34 per cent.
Readers can search the pass rate for their local test centre in the table below:
Featherstone driving test centre in Wakefield has the lowest pass rate nationally – 2,620 drivers passed their practical test, resulting in a pass rate of only 33.8 per cent.
Wolverhampton also ranks in the top five worst locations to take your driving test. Only 2,152 drivers passed their test, resulting in a pass rate of 33.9 per cent.
In the Chingford test centre, East London, 2,446 drivers passed their test last year, leaving 4,384 drivers failing their test.
In the Ipswich test centre, meanwhile, 65 per cent of drivers passed their test, and in Dorchester the figures are similar (66 per cent).
Some smaller test centres across the country have pass rates nearing nine in 10 drivers. This includes Inveraray (87 per cent) and the Isles of Scilly (88 per cent).
The Department for Transport (DfT) has previously announced a series of measures aimed at tackling the backlog, while a campaign to recruit and train 450 new driving examiners is also underway.
It is now only possible to make changes up to 10 working days before a booked test slot. DfT aims to incentivise learners to wait until they are ready to pass before they book a test. Officials say this will encourage people to pull out of tests sooner, meaning there is more chance their spot can be taken by someone else.
A DVSA spokesperson said: “Car practical test waiting times remain high due to an increase in demand and low customer confidence in driving test availability, resulting in a change in customers’ booking behaviour.
“We continue to work on implementing our seven-point plan to reduce waiting times and encouraging learner drivers to only book their driving test when their instructor agrees they are ready.
“Since launching our plan in December 2024, we are making progress towards recruiting and training 450 driving examiners across Great Britain.”
