Data Reveals the UK Cities That Are Best for Learner Drivers in 2024
Research by driving experts at Yell has revealed that Leeds and Belfast are officially the best cities to be a learner driver. With driving lessons averaging at £33 per hour in Leeds, this city makes an affordable choice for most learner drivers at 13% less than the national average of £38. Belfast is 3% above the average of £38, but learner drivers benefit from short wait times of 10 weeks.
Demand for driving lessons is at an all-time high as the backlog from the pandemic continues. Until driving test capacity increases, the backlog is expected to only get worse, with high-demand areas having seemingly no end in sight. In 2024, there are an estimated 3,712,728 learner drivers in the UK competing for driving test slots, but the Driving Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) can only accommodate 2,042,976 of them. This means that demand for driving tests is expected to exceed capacity by 82%.
This pressure only continues as data from the DVLA shows that, from January to March 2024 (Quarter 4), 666,000 car theory tests were conducted in Great Britain, an increase of 12% from January to March 2023 (Quarter 4). Equally, from January to March 2024 (Quarter 4), 561,000 car practical tests were conducted in Great Britain, an increase of 25% from January to March 2023 (Quarter 4).
The delays in booking tests and the ongoing backlog are causing major frustrations for both drivers and instructors. Learners are having to take more lessons to make up for the additional waiting time and instructors are unable to take on more drivers due to the backlog. According to a survey from car insurance provider Marmalade, 77% of learners have cited that the extra cost of more lessons has been their biggest frustration.
DVSA says that learners will need an average of 45 lessons to pass a test, working out around £1,710 per student. However, with wait times for tests now at an all-time high at an average of 21 weeks across the country, driving instructors and their students are in a crisis. Learners across the country are facing a postcode lottery when it comes to waiting for a driving test slot, and most centres are seeing over double the wait times of pre-pandemic levels, which saw an average of only 6 weeks.
Leeds and Belfast revealed as the best cities for learner drivers in the UK
Taking into account the average cost of driving lessons in each city, the average wait times and driving test search demand, Yell has created a list of the best cities to be a learner driver in 2024.
It’s revealed that Leeds and Belfast are officially the best cities to be a learner driver. With driving lessons averaging at £33 per hour in Leeds, this city makes an affordable choice for most learner drivers at 13% less than the national average. While driving test wait times are still relatively high at 20 weeks, this is one week less than the national average, and search demand in the city is slightly less than the national average, seeing 1,700 searches each month.
Belfast averages £39 for driving lessons, which is 3% more than average, however drivers benefit from short test wait times at only 10 weeks. Belfast also has a smaller search demand of 1,400 searches each month for “driving lessons Belfast”.
London is ranked as the worst place for learner drivers. The average driving lesson costs are second highest in the country at £41 per hour, 8% over the national average. London has the second highest wait times at 23 weeks, which is mirrored in its monthly search demand, which is the highest in the UK with over 2,800 searches for “driving lessons London” each month.
| Rank | City | Total cost hourly of driving lessons | Difference to national average cost of £38 | Driving test wait times | Search demand | Total score out of 60 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Leeds | £33 | -13% | 20 | 1,700 | 48 |
| 2 | Belfast | £39 | 3% | 10 | 1,400 | 48 |
| 3 | Glasgow | £32 | -16% | 28 | 1,700 | 47 |
| 4 | Birmingham | £34 | -11% | 21 | 1,500 | 47 |
| 5 | Newcastle | £37 | -3% | 14 | 1,500 | 47 |
| 6 | Brighton | £40 | 5% | 13 | 1,000 | 46 |
| 7 | Leicester | £32 | -16% | 23 | 2,000 | 45 |
| 8 | Manchester | £34 | -11% | 23 | 1,600 | 45 |
| 9 | Cardiff | £36 | -5% | 23 | 1,700 | 42 |
| 10 | Sheffield | £36 | -5% | 23 | 1,800 | 41 |
| 11 | Liverpool | £39 | 3% | 15 | 1,900 | 40 |
| 12 | Nottingham | £40 | 5% | 23 | 1,500 | 38 |
| 13 | Bristol | £51 | 34% | 9 | 1,800 | 37 |
| 14 | Edinburgh | £42 | 11% | 17 | 1,800 | 34 |
| 15 | London | £41 | 8% | 23 | 2,800 | 30 |
Sourced from internal Yell data (September 2024).
Bristol is the most expensive city for learner drivers
The most expensive city for learner drivers is Bristol, with an average cost of £51 per hour lesson. This is 34% above the UK average of £38. At an average of £51 per lesson, learners in this area can expect to pay over £2,295 to learn to drive. This is followed by Edinburgh at £42 and London at £41.
The cheapest city for learner drivers is shared by both Glasgow and Leicester, with lessons in these areas at £32 an hour, which is 16% less than the national average. Having more affordable lessons may also be attributing to the long wait times in both of these areas, seeing wait times of 28 and 23 weeks. This is followed by Birmingham and Manchester at £34.
| Rank | City | Average cost of hourly driving lessons | Difference between the national average cost of £38 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bristol | £51 | 34% |
| 2 | Edinburgh | £42 | 11% |
| 3 | London | £41 | 8% |
| 4 | Brighton | £40 | 5% |
| 5 | Nottingham | £40 | 5% |
| 6 | Liverpool | £39 | 3% |
| 7 | Belfast | £39 | 3% |
| 8 | Newcastle | £37 | -3% |
| 9 | Sheffield | £36 | -5% |
| 10 | Cardiff | £36 | -5% |
| 11 | Birmingham | £34 | -11% |
| 12 | Manchester | £34 | -11% |
| 13 | Leeds | £33 | -13% |
| 14 | Glasgow | £32 | -16% |
| 15 | Leicester | £32 | -16% |
Sourced from internal Yell data (September 2024).
Leicester is the most in-demand city for driving lessons
Google search demand for "driving lessons" sees over 53,000 searches each month in the UK, up 4% this month. Searches reach their highest peaks in January and June. Alongside this, “driving lessons near me” also sees over 12,000 searches each month across the UK. Outside of London, the location that sees the most searches is Leicester, receiving an average of 2,000 searches each month. The least demand is found in Brighton, with an average of 1,000 searches each month.
Glasgow has the longest wait for driving tests currently, with a wait of 28 weeks in this area, 7 weeks over the national average. The area with the shortest wait is Bristol, at just 9 weeks.
While the backlog doesn’t look to be reducing any time soon, don’t let that put you off from jumping into the driving seat. The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) has taken several measures to reduce the backlog, including:
● Recruiting more driving examiners
● Offering tests on weekends and bank holidays
● Asking qualified warrant card holders to continue testing
● Encouraging examiners from areas with shorter waiting times to test in areas with longer waiting times
● Raising awareness of the Ready to Pass? campaign which encourages learners to delay their test if they are not ready
If you or someone you know is looking to start driving lessons, Yell.com has a wide selection of instructors from across the country on hand to give you the best start when learning to drive. Whether you’re feeling unsure about whether to choose manual or automatic driving lessons or stuck picking between several driving instructors, Yell is here to help.
On Yell.com, you can view profiles, browse reviews, and contact driving schools for more information. Start by comparing the best driving lessons near you or post an enquiry if you want to hear from businesses directly. Whichever method you prefer, it’s absolutely free.
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