THERE is good news and bad news for anyone wanting to learn to drive in Swindon.

The good news is the test pass rate in the town has increased but the bad news is you might to have to wait until next year to get a booking.

New figures show that while far fewer tests took place during the coronavirus pandemic those who were able to take a test were more likely to pass.

Swindon driving instructor Jeffrey Sayed, who runs Ace Driving School, said his own experience backed up the data.

He said: “In the past week I had four people take their test and three of them passed. That is higher than usual.”

But he said the frustration for his pupils is getting a test booked.

He said: “The waiting list in Swindon is more than six months. I am advising my clients to try other towns such as Newbury or Chippenham, where the wait is not as long.

“In Swindon some people can’t get a test until next year. It is very frustrating for them.”

He is advising learners to book their practical tests as soon as they pass their theory.

But the pent-up demand for driving instruction means he has a waiting list of two to three months.

He said: “But if people have passed their theory there is nothing to stop them booking their practical test before they start lessons that way they will not have to wait so long once they are ready.

Mr Sayed, who has been an instructor for 11 years, is a fan of Swindon’s Magic Roundabout despite it causing some of his students to panic.

He said: “It is no longer part of the test route but I still take people on it to practice. It is really very simple but some drivers are worried as it looks so complicated.”

Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency data shows that of 2,751 practical tests at Swindon Test Centre in 2020-21, 1,464 ended in success – a pass rate of 53 per cent.

That was up from 47 per cent the previous year.

During lockdowns only key workers were allowed to take their tests. This meant that in total, there were 2,751 driving tests in 2020-21 at the Swindon Test Centre – compared to 8,613 in 2019-20 – with 3,938 cancelled due to the pandemic.

Quieter roads and “incredibly motivated” key workers taking their tests are thought to be behind the rate also hitting a record high across Great Britain in 2020-21.

But thousands of people nationally had their tests cancelled due to Covid restrictions.

Across Great Britain a record 50 per cent of tests in 2020-21 resulted in a pass, with the figure even reaching 59 per cent between January and March this year.

The number of tests dropped to 437,000 in 2020-21, from 1.6 million the previous year.

Robert Cowell, interim managing director of AA Driving School, said: “The slight increase in the driving test pass rate for the first quarter of this year could be down to a number of things including quieter roads during tests.

“In addition, during lockdowns, tests were only allowed for key workers who needed to drive for their job, this probably also goes some way to explaining the higher pass rate during these months as the candidates would have been incredibly motivated to pass.”

Mr Cowell said that demand for driving tests is now “sky-high” due to the number of cancellations last year, adding many people are facing a frustrating wait.

Practical tests resumed in April, but learners face a waiting time of more than three months to book a test with 470,000 already pencilled in across Great Britain, the DVSA said.

The body has launched a recruitment campaign for 300 examiners while tests are being done seven days a week to allow 20,000 to go ahead every month.

Asked if an increase in the national pass rate was down to quieter roads, the DSVA said traffic levels are regularly reviewed to ensure traffic is at a sufficient level to test a candidate’s ability.

It also said the reduction in tests could have impacted the overall rate.

Loveday Ryder, DVSA chief executive, said: “All candidates are assessed to the same level and the result of their test is entirely dependent on their performance on the day.”

The data also showed the rate of success for people taking their driving test for the first time.

At Swindon Test Centre, 927 out of 1,662 people passed on the first attempt in 2020-21 – per cent

That was above the national average of 51 per cent.