THE Covid pandemic caused a vast swathe of problems for people in the UK, with one of those being the impact on driving instructors and learners.

It has resulted in a huge backlog of people trying to book lessons in the first place and then trying to book a practical test.

Learners have struggled to book tests, have spent more money, and some are even forced to travel far and wide to secure a test.

The question might remain on many people's minds of when this demand will return to normal levels.

Following extensive Freedom of Information requests to the DVSA and data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS), a new report by learner driver insurers, Marmalade has shown the full scale of the backlog and how it is set to compound in the coming months. 

South Wales Argus: The backlog for learner drivers has been immense (PA)The backlog for learner drivers has been immense (PA)

When will the driving test backlog end in the UK?

Marmalade made an FOI request in January 2022 which revealed gross demand for driving tests across all of 2021.

Using the data, Marmalade has established an average gross monthly demand for driving tests in 2022.

They've worked out that the backlog will only be cleared by January 2024 at the current rate.

Around three million learner drivers will be battling for test slots over the coming 20 months with it predicted to peak in May this year.

Although the backlog will slowly begin to clear from June onwards, there will still be more than 250,000 learners waiting to book their test at the start of 2023 - a stark reminder of the depth of this issue.

In fact, it won’t be until August next year when the backlog dips back below 100,000 people.