Driving Tests: Surrey
The question
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if her Department will consider the potential merits of additional measures to reduce driving test waiting times in Surrey.
Answered by Simon Lightwood
The table below shows the May 2026 average waiting time and number of tests booked and available at the driving test centres (DTC) serving Hampshire and Surrey as of 15 June 2026. Those in bold are the main DTCs serving Surrey Heath.
Driving test centre (DTC) | Average car practical driving test waiting time in weeks (May 2026) | Booked tests (as of 15 June 2026) | Tests available in 24 week booking window (as of 15 June 2026) |
Basingstoke | 14.5 | 845 | 59 |
Chertsey | 24 | 3686 | 224 |
Farnborough | 24 | 4978 | 207 |
Guildford | 24 | 1880 | 61 |
Lee on Solent | 24 | 2565 | 102 |
Mitcham | 24 | 5479 | 239 |
Newport (Isle of Wight) | 19.5 | 1198 | 300 |
Portsmouth | 23.8 | 5626 | 1028 |
Redhill | 24 | 2492 | 132 |
Southampton | 24 | 5428 | 1097 |
Tolworth | 24 | 3525 | 168 |
West Wickham | 24 | 3474 | 156 |
Winchester | 18.8 | 2690 | 170 |
Great Britain (National) | 21.8 | 662,655 | 75785 |
Between June 2025 – May 2026, at the DTCs above, the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) conducted 3,247 additional car practical driving tests in overtime, when compared to the equivalent overtime scheme between June 2024 and May 2025. This increase can largely be attributed to the additional test allowance scheme.
For the main DTCs serving Surrey Heath, DVSA has 2 potential new driving examiners (DE) in training, with a further 6 undergoing pre-employment checks.
For other DTCs in Surrey and Hampshire, DVSA has 4 potential new DEs in training, with a further 35 undergoing pre-employment checks.
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