Younger drivers in the South West of England are enduring a lengthy wait to secure a driving test.

Data from the DVSA has revealed that it takes an average of 15.3 weeks after booking a test to take it in the region, which is the fourth worst wait across England, Wales and Scotland.

Of the three countries, one of the 22 fully booked test centres is in Penzance, whereas it was reported that there are less than 10% of slots available at Bristol Kingswood, Barnstaple, Gloucester, Salisbury and Swindon.

Swindon, along with the other four locations listed, is documented as currently having a waiting line of 24 weeks, which is one of the worst in the region.

The other centre in Bristol, Avonmouth, has a shorter wait of eight weeks, while Launceston in Cornwall and Exeter in Devon, face six and four week waiting times respectively.

This information was revealed by a Freedom of Information request from Adrian Flux, one of the UK’s largest motor insurance brokers.

“It’s clear that the backlog caused by various coronavirus lockdowns that began in March 2020 are continuing to cause frustrating delays for young drivers,” said Gerry Bucke, Adrian Flux’s general manager.