Driving lessons have once again  re-started in wales on 12/4/21 with tests being conducted again from 22/4/21

 

All driving lessons have been cancelled under the Government  guidelines and for the welfare of both Instructors and pupils. We will re-srat lessons as soon as the all clear is given from the Government. Currently there are NO TESTS being taken and until such time as the DVSA  deem it safe to so there will be no test available including theory tests.

Once the all clear has been given please contact us at the office on 01792 870701 to re-book your lessons

 

Some driving examiners are planning to take strike action on 4 December and 5 December 2017, and action short of a strike from 23 November 2017.

Some driving examiners who are members of the Public and Commercial Service (PCS) union are planning to take strike action on Monday 4 December and Tuesday 5 December 2017.

You can either:

• change your test appointment to a later date
• turn up for your test as planned, but your examiner might be unavailable

Starting from Thursday 23 November 2017, some driving tests could be affected by driving examiners taking action short of a strike, for example, not working overtime. The PCS union hasn’t given an end date for this action.

Not all driving examiners are union members, and even if they are, they might choose not to take industrial action.

The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) is introducing:

• an industry-recognised qualification for new MOT testers and managers
• annual training and assessments for the existing 58,000 MOT testers

Carrying out MOTs to the right standard

Around 27 million car MOTs are carried out in Great Britain each year.

The vast majority are done to the right standard, but DVSA data shows that some errors are made. The new qualification and training process should help to reduce them.

MOT qualification

From September 2016, new MOT testers will need a nationally-recognised qualification.

To be eligible for the qualification, they’ll already need to have:

• a technical qualification, eg a Vehicle Technician, Vehicle Maintenance and Repair NVQ
• at least 4 years of experience in the motor trade

They’ll then need to:

• successfully complete an MOT tester qualification course
• pass an MOT demonstration test with a DVSA examiner

.Annual training and assessments

MOT testers will also have to take training and pass an assessment every year to continue carrying out MOTs.

The training will focus on topics which DVSA data shows testers are most likely to get wrong.

It means that consumers can be more confident that their MOT result is right, and that any vehicle faults are correctly identified. This helps protect everyone from unsafe vehicles.

We want all workers to be proud of their profession and drivers to be sure they are getting the right test result. We are introducing this new qualification and training and assessment regime to further boost the reputation of the profession.

A new survey has shown that more cars are showing outstanding finance after they are sold, which a buyer can be held responsible for.

48% of all checks in January 2016 flagged up at least one issue, up by 6% on the same month in 2015. This could be anything from a perfectly legal registration plate transfer to a major issue such as a previous write off.

Ethical dilemmas

Our driverless cars will be programmed to avoid collisions, especially with people. But suppose a mother pushing a buggy steps out into the road suddenly and the car does not have enough time to stop.

Who’s to blame?

While law-abiding driverless cars, with all their cameras, sensors, radars and faster-than-human reaction times, could undoubtedly help reduce accidents (90% of which currently caused by driver error), no-one is foolish enough to believe that they will be flawless.

The technology isn’t good enough yet

Many semi-autonomous technologies are already available in today’s cars, from emergency braking to cruise control, self parking to lane keeping. This year, Ford is also planning to introduce automatic speed limit recognition tech andDaimler is hoping to test self-driving lorries on German motorways.

Do we even want them?

The global success of BBC’s Top Gear is just one indication of just how much we love cars and driving. Rightly or wrongly, many of us love the thrill of speed and the sense of freedom cars give us. Being in control is an important aspect of that.

But in the driverless world we become passive and disengaged; the car is reduced to a commodity, a mere tool for mobility. Where’s the fun in that? Driver surveys suggest we are at least ambivalent about the technology.

Follow a sat nav instead of the examiner

For around 20 minutes of the driving test you will be asked to follow directions given to you from a sat nav. This is being done to make the test more realistic. The sat nav will be provided and the examiner will always be ready to step in and direct should the sat nav have any problems.

 

Two new manoeuvres

Instead of doing a turn in the road (three point turn) or reversing around a corner you will be asked to complete one of two new manoeuvres or parallel parking.

– Driving forwards into a parking bay and then reversing out

– Pull up on the right hand side of the road, reversing a short distance and then rejoin traffic

 

Show me question on the move

You’ll be asked do the show me part of show me/tell me on the move. For example you could be asked to demonstrate how to wash the windscreen or operate the heater while you are driving. This is currently done at the start of the test when you are sitting still.

 

The ADI standards check assesses your ability to teach pupils.

You have to take at least one ADI standards check during each 4-year period that you’re registered as an ADI.

 

68% of adults polled by Ipsos MORI for the RAC foundation support the idea of a graduated driver licensing system for drivers aged 24 and under.

 

A graduated driving licence would impose restrictions on newly qualified drivers for a limited period (commonly 12 months).  Many countries already use this system and it could include restricting:

 

• the number of passengers
• the time of day you drive
• the maximum speed you can travel

 

The idea behind the restricted licence would be to give you time to gain valuable experience before doing the activities that could put you at a higher risk.

 

The government have previously said that they would look into producing draft legislation for newly qualified drivers but they have recently been accused of dragging their heels.

Bus lanes in Liverpool were suspended by Liverpool City Council in October 2013.  The bus lanes were suspended until 28^th July 2014 to allow the council to monitor the changes in traffic and allow them to make a decision on their long term future.

 

To date, there has been no announcement from Liverpool City Council about what happens post 28^th July.

 

Many of you will have had driving lessons in Liverpool with us and have never had to worry about the bus lanes.  You will need to keep a close eye on the local press and road signs over the next month.

 

If the council re-introduce the bus lanes, then you need to know when you are allowed in the bus lanes.  If there are no times below the bus lane sign then you must never enter the bus lane.  If there are times on the bus lane sign, these are the times you must not enter the bus lanes but all other times you can.

 

Don’t get caught out.  Liverpool City Council do have an excellent CCTV system covering the majority of the bus routes so if you do go in a bus lane when you are not supposed to you are very likely to receive a fine through the post