The UK faces a shortage of LGV (large goods vehicle) drivers. The crisis peaked in 2021 when there was a shortfall of over 100,000 qualified drivers. Three years later, in 2024, there is still a significant shortage of HGV drivers across the UK despite the increase in the number of LGV tests.
LGV refers to a lorry with a gross combination mass of more than 3,500 kg (7,700 lb). To earn an LGV licence, drivers need to pass four tests and then take additional training and tests every five years, so, unsurprisingly, many aspiring LGV drivers are keen to pass their test the first time.
The UK shortage of LGV drivers
There is a shortage of LGV drivers in the UK. This shortage is also predicted to be a larger problem in the coming years, with 55% of HGV drivers aged 50 to 65, meaning most drivers will retire in the coming decade. Less than 2% of LGV drivers are under 25, which will put increased pressure on UK businesses in the coming years as the driver shortage is likely to worsen.
UK businesses, especially supermarkets, heavily rely on LGV drivers at Christmas time. These vehicles transport stock across the UK. A shortage of drivers can lead to businesses not receiving produce on time, resulting in fewer products in shops for consumers.
Driving experts from Nationwide Vehicle Contracts have analysed driving test centre data for those keen to pass their LGV driving test and revealed where drivers are most and least likely to pass their LGV driving test across the UK.
From 2022 to 2023, the test centre in Yeading, London, conducted the most LGV driving tests, with 4,708 tests. Featherstone ranks as the second most popular location, with 4,581 tests. Atherton in Manchester places in the top three most popular, with 4,250 LGV driving tests.
Location | No. of tests | Pass rate (%) |
Yeading (London) | 4708 | 52.7 |
Featherstone | 4581 | 44.6 |
Atherton (Manchester) | 4250 | 51.7 |
Leighton Buzzard (Stanbridge Road) | 3380 | 58.1 |
Bredbury (Manchester) | 3172 | 52.7 |
One LGV test centre had a pass rate of only 40.1% in 2024, yet another had a pass rate of 80.8%, so it may be best to choose wisely…
The LGV driving test centres with the highest pass rates
Rank | Location | Tests Conducted | No. of Passes | Pass rate (%) |
1 | Ipswich | 1920 | 1551 | 80.8 |
2 | Kilmarnock LGV | 1101 | 836 | 75.9 |
3 | Heads of the Valleys | 560 | 422 | 75.4 |
4 | Poole | 688 | 510 | 74.1 |
5 | Bristol (Kingswood) | 3113 | 2250 | 72.3 |
Ipswich and Kilmarnock have the highest LGV pass rates
Ipswich, a town in Suffolk, has the highest LGV driving test pass rate of 80.8%. In 2024, 1,920 tests were conducted, and 1,551 drivers passed. 836 drivers passed their test here last year, leaving only 265 drivers failing.
South Wales ranks in the top five locations with a 75.4% pass rate
The Head of the Valleys test centre is located in Abergavenny, South Wales. The test centre ranks number three in the top locations; out of 560 drivers, 422 passed their practical test, resulting in a pass rate of 75.4%.
Poole and Bristol complete the top five
Poole ranks in the top five best locations for your LGV driving test. 510 drivers passed their test here, resulting in a pass rate of 74.1%. Kingswood, located in Bristol, is the fifth-best LGV test centre, with a pass rate of 71.3%.
The LGV driving test centres with the lowest pass rates
Rank | Location | Conducted | Passes | Pass rate (%) |
1 | CRH Transport Training | 720 | 289 | 40.1 |
2 | GTG (West Midlands) | 778 | 338 | 43.4 |
3 | Featherstone | 4581 | 2043 | 44.6 |
4 | Birmingham (Garretts Green) | 3065 | 1372 | 44.8 |
5 | Leicester (Cannock Street) | 1808 | 850 | 47.0 |
Birmingham and West Midlands have the lowest LGV pass rates
CRH Transport Training is in Birmingham, which is the worst location to take your LGV driving test. GTG West Midlands test centre is second-worst and is located in Wolverhampton. Of 778 drivers who took their test at the GTG test centre, only 338 drivers successfully passed their test.
Featherstone has an LGV pass rate of 44.6%
Featherstone, a town in Wakefield, West Yorkshire, ranks among the top five LGV driving test centres. Although it is one of the most popular locations, out of 4,581 drivers, only 2,043 have passed their test here in the past year, resulting in a pass rate of less than half, at 44.6%.
Birmingham and Leicester rank in the worst five
Birmingham and Leicester test centres rank in the worst five, with a pass rate of 44.8% at the Birmingham test centre, with only 1,372 drivers successfully passing their test there. Leicester test centre has a pass rate of 47%, so it ranks fifth among the UK’s worst LGV driving test centres.
