New data has revealed the easiest and hardest places in the UK to pass your driving test, making the test look like a sort of “postcode lottery”.
Figures obtained by The telegraph Under Freedom of Information (FoI) rules, the examiners with the highest and lowest pass rates at centers across the UK over two three-month periods in 2023 and 2024 were revealed.
Official figures from the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) highlighted that learner drivers are 15 times more likely to fail some examiners than others.
In 2023, the highest examiner pass rate was recorded in Ashfield, Nottinghamshire, at 91.7 per cent.
This meant that the examiner was 15 times more likely to pass candidates than those who took the exam in Scunthorpe, where one examiner only awarded licenses to 6 per cent of applicants.
The data also showed that the most lenient examiners will pass nine out of 10 of their candidates, while critical examiners will pass fewer than one in 10.
Wide disparities were also observed within the same centers.
For example, the lowest examiner pass rate of 8 per cent was recorded at the Bredbury exam center in Manchester, where the most lenient examiner issued licenses to almost 67 per cent of candidates.
Similarly, in Wrexham, Wales, the lowest pass rate was 16.7, while another examiner at the same center achieved a rare pass rate of 76.2 per cent, a difference of almost 60 percentage points.
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Other centers where the lowest pass rate on record was below 20 per cent were Goodmayes in London and Glasgow in Scotland (both 16.7 per cent), as well as Borehamwood (18.8 per cent).
Meanwhile, some of the highest pass rates in 2024 were recorded in Newport (Gwent) and Llanelli in Wales (93.3 percent and 92.09 percent respectively), as well as Peebles in Scotland (92.3 percent cent), Nottingham (Chilwell) in the East Midlands. (88.9 per cent) and Chertsey in Surrey (85.7 per cent).
The average pass rate in the UK is around 50 per cent.
Commenting on the wide range of examiners’ pass rates, Ruth Cadbury, Labor chair of the House of Commons transport committee, told The Telegraph they appeared to contradict the Department for Transport’s claim that the rules were being enforced. consistently.
“I encourage the department to take a strong interest in examining the reasons for these variations, which appear too large to simply be anomalies,” he said.
The figures were released after it was reported that the DVSA had hired 450 new examiners in a bid to reduce learning exam waiting times across the UK.
This was part of the agency’s seven-point plan to improve the current testing experience that was released last year.
Other changes included increasing the cancellation period from three to 10 business days, starting in the spring, to reduce the number of missed exams and free up more time slots.
Test centers where the lowest recorded pass rate was below 20 per cent included Goodmayes in London and Glasgow in Scotland (both 16.7 per cent), as well as Borehamwood (18.8 per cent).
In a bid to improve testing availability, plans were also being considered last December to make testing places bookable ahead of the current 24-week window.
DVSA data obtained by MailOnline in 2022 previously found that the Rothesay testing center on the Isle of Bute in Scotland had the highest pass rate of 92.3 per cent.
Meanwhile, applicants hoping to pass the exam at Erith and Wanstead in London faced a greater challenge, with pass rates at these centers estimated at 28 per cent and 34 per cent respectively.
In 2020, MailOnline reported that learner drivers in Birmingham faced the toughest task in passing their test, with less than a third of candidates in the city being successful on their first attempt.
Data provided by the DVSA at the time also showed huge inconsistencies in pass rates across the country’s 324 driving test centres.
At the time, Scotland, Wales, Northumberland and Yorkshire were reported to have the highest pass rates, while London was among the worst places to take the exam.
Analysts at insurance company Go Compare, which collected the data, said the variations were probably because “small towns may be easier to navigate.”

The average pass rate in the UK is around 50 per cent.
“Fewer roundabouts, less congestion and fewer built-up areas mean that the driving test is more likely to go smoothly and therefore be passed,” they added.
The UK driving test report by GoCompare found that, on average, drivers spend £647 and take 22 lessons to secure the freedom of the roads the first time they ask.
Those who need several attempts can spend thousands of pounds, so determining “a friendly driving test centre” can save a significant amount of money.
At the time, GoCompare driving expert Matt Oliver told MailOnline: “Preparation is always key when it comes to tackling any challenge.
But there’s nothing wrong with looking for additional ways to increase your chances, and choosing a quieter route can keep your nerves to a minimum.
‘The most common reason for failing driving tests is responding incorrectly at traffic lights. At busy intersections, it’s easy to lose focus when you’re surrounded by different distractions; Choosing a quieter location is a good way to limit this risk.
‘To make sure you’re prepared, try practicing in a variety of conditions. Once you’ve chosen your test centre, hit the routes as often as possible so you can get used to the more complicated roads.’