LEARNER drivers in East Lothian are waiting as much as four months before they can sit a test, data has revealed.

New figures have revealed that the average wait time for a test at Musselburgh's test centre at Newhailes Industrial Estate is 17 weeks.

Musselburgh's test centre (Image: Google Maps)

Learner drivers in Haddington face a slightly shorter wait of 14 weeks at the town's test centre on Herdmanflatt.

The figures from the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) show an average waiting time nationwide of 17.17 weeks, as concerns have been raised about the long waits learner drivers around the country are facing before being able to sit their tests.

The figures, which highlight the record number of driving tests being taken following a backlog which was caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, also reveal average pass rates at driving test centres.

Almost 1,000 people passed their test at Haddington's centre over the 12 months (Image: Google Maps)

These show that learner drivers taking their test in Haddington are more likely to be successful, as the centre records above average pass rates, with 59.7 per cent of test takers passing between April 2023 and March 2024, with 964 people celebrating success out of 1,616 who sat the assessment.

The UK average pass rate for the period was 47.9 per cent.

Musselburgh’s test centre falls slightly behind average with a pass rate of 44.1 per cent. 

A total of 8,573 people sat their practical test at the centre in the 12-month period, recording 3,778 passes.