A push is being made for the government to take urgent action to tackle spiralling delays in driving test appointments in Reading.
The Reading Driving Test Centre in Elgar Road South, Katesgrove, was closed on March 22.
Since March 24, tests have been conducted on a temporary basis from the Holiday Inn Reading South.
Driving tests are managed by the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) with a new driving test centre being opened at Pacific House, Imperial Way on Thursday, June 26.
This news was officially announced by the DVSA at 4.25pm on Thursday, June 19, a week prior to opening.
The Reading Liberal Democrats have claimed learner drivers in the town are currently facing some of the worst waiting times in the country, with waits of over six months to secure a test slot, far beyond the DVSA’s target of nine weeks.
It has been argued the backlog is disrupting the lives of young people, students, apprentices, and job seekers who rely on driving licences for work, education, and daily life.
The Lib Dems will introduce a motion at a full meeting of Reading Borough Council calling for the government to take urgent action.
The motion highlights growing national concern about third-party booking services that use automated software to snap up driving test appointments and resell them for profit, making access even harder for ordinary learners.
Despite repeated questions in Parliament, the Lib Dems claim the Labour government has so far failed to act.
Councillor James Moore (Liberal Democrats, Tilehurst) said: “This is not just an inconvenience—it’s a barrier to opportunity.
“Young people in Reading are being unfairly held back in their education and careers because of a system that’s simply not working.”
The motion calls on the government department of transport to:
Publish a clear action plan to reduce driving test waiting times nationally and in Reading;
Reform the DVSA’s online booking system to block exploitative third-party software;
Take immediate steps to restore fair and accessible test booking for all learners.
The Reading Lib Dems are also asking Liz Terry (Labour, Coley), the council leader, to write to the secretary of state for tansport and Reading’s MPs to push for urgent reform.
Cllr Moore said: “This is a national failure that’s hitting Reading residents.
“We need real action from ministers – not just warm words.”
The motion will be debated at the next full council meeting on Tuesday, June 24, and the Lib Dems are urging other parties to support a united call for change.
A plan to convert an office at Pacific House into a test centre was approved by the council on May 15.
