Waiting times for driving tests have dropped below 20 weeks for the first time since November 2024, according to official figures.

But learner drivers in September still had to wait an average of 19.7 weeks, or around five months, for a practical test.

The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) has been trying to cut waiting times and clear a backlog which began during the Covid pandemic in 2020.

Commenting on the agency's progress, one driving instructor told the BBC: "I don't think this is anything to boast about."

The DVSA initially had hoped to reduce the average waiting time to seven weeks by the end of last year.

Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander pushed the target back to summer 2026, but subsequently admitted even that would not be possible - with waits not expected to fall to seven weeks until next autumn.

The DVSA conducted 191,682 practical driving tests in September, with more than half of those passing.

Learner drivers have repeatedly told the BBC how a lack of access to driving tests has limited their freedom, education and job prospects.

Until earlier this year, many learner drivers chose to pay inflated prices to access driving tests being resold by third party providers who'd used automated programmes, or bots, to block book tests before learners could access them.

But a number of changes were made to the test booking system earlier this year by the DVSA to stop the system being exploited. Now, only the learner driver is able to book their driving test.

Sophie Stuchfield, a driving instructor in Watford, previously showed the BBC hundreds of driving tests being offered for sale by resellers on messaging groups

Sophie Stuchfield, a driving instructor in Watford, told the BBC: "Whilst the re-selling of tests does seem to have stopped, which is a massive positive, they've still failed to recruit enough examiners to cope with demand."

She didn't believe that the slight fall in numbers for waiting times "is anything to boast about", adding that in many areas the wait for a driving test when booking is 21 weeks.

"On many occasions, my drivers wake up at 5.45am on a Monday, only to not end up with a test as when they click on something, by the time they put their details in, they are told the test has already been taken."

Sophie added that the waiting time to get a test meant that many learner drivers "who haven't even started driving lessons will book a test knowing it's 5 months away", putting themselves and the instructor under a lot of pressure.

Justin Madders, the minister for roads, said the government "inherited record waiting times and a significant backlog".

"While driving test waiting times are still not where we want them to be, these figures show real progress is being made," he added.

A DVSA spokesperson said the agency was "committed to reducing waiting times" and that "examiner numbers are at their highest level since November 2017".

"But we know there's more to do and we won't stop until every learner can get a test slot when they need one, wherever they're learning to drive," the spokesperson added.