LEARNER drivers have been left feeling frustrated when trying to book driving tests amid the pandemic.

The Government’s driving test booking portal only reopened on Monday September,7, but a message on its Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency’s website stated it “has now closed the online booking system and will reopen it again at 8am on Monday 14 September 2020”.

Learner driver Charlotte Leone Newman, 32, from Castlemorton, said: “It’s been a nightmare.

"I was due to take my test in March, and I was ready to take it and then we were locked down and I couldn’t do lessons.

“My theory test runs out in November and I’ve not been able to drive for almost six months.

“I have tried logging on to book and there’s been a huge queue each time and then when I went back on it said closed until Sept 12 but when I try there’ll be another huge six hour queue.”

Worcester teen sets her her own business during pandemic

Worcester music school needs help to continue teaching

John Grayson, a driving instructor for nearly 20 years and based in Worcester, said: “ I don’t know what else can be done to speed tests along - everything is held up at the moment in life because of this pandemic.

“I know students are grumbling about trying to book tests and having tests cancelled on them at short notice.”

Instructor David Wilkinson from the Malvern School of Motoring said: “There is a huge backlog and many people are trying to access the website as they want to start a job or do something needing a car so they scramble to book their tests.

“I do have one student who booked a test a couple of weeks ago who was about 300 in the queue but managed to get a date.

“The pandemic has caused issues with many things in life and students needs to keep practising ready for when they do manage to book a test.”

The rest of the message on the DVSA website stated: “From Monday 14 September 2020, DVSA will extend the period in which tests are available from 6 weeks to 18 weeks ahead.

“This will add over 375,000 more test appointments between 14 September 2020 and the end of January 2021.

“As well as making tests available to book 18 weeks ahead, DVSA plans to increase the number of car driving tests per day from 5 to 6.”