Monthly Archives: December 2014

December 4, 2014
Fuel Duty To Remain Frozen

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Chancellor George Osborne has said fuel duty is to remain frozen in his Autumn Statement. The freeze has been confirmed to last until May 2015. Many motorists have seen this freeze on duty as a very welcome relief; however, there seemed to be disappointment amongst some motorists who would rather see fuel duty reduced and not frozen.

Osbourne also announced that following the severe winter weather, he was making an extra £200 million available to local authorities to repair potholes.

These announcements come alongside the Department for Transport’s announced that it will trial fuel signs for motorway petrol stations early next year. This is to avoid drivers being ripped off by petrol prices on motorways.

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December 3, 2014
Passing In London Is The Most Difficult

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Today, only 39% of London drivers pass first time round, while 35% pass second time, with 10% of drivers taking four attempts or more before trading in their provisional licence. This is a significant decline in recent years, compared with 52% of first time passes in 1994.

With a rise in the number of cyclists to watch out for, yellow box junctions to stay out of for fear of landing a camera fine, red routes to avoid stopping on and the sheer pressure of traffic, it is getting more difficult to drive in London.

The driving test has also become harder in recent years with the introduction of the theory test, the independent driving section of the test and the greater focus on eco driving. Despite these changes, parents are still confident they can teach their kids to drive, cutting back on formal, expert tuition. This has led to the fall in the number of first time passes in the capital. The increasing changes in the driving test have put driving tuition beyond the capabilities of most drivers. Learners now need to be taught exactly what examiners are looking for and such instruction can only be given by a qualified instructor.

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December 2, 2014
Driving At Christmas

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Happy December folks!

We have arrived at the last month of the year, and what a year it has been! Hopefully we have all managed to stay safe on the roads in 2014, and hopefully our new drivers have been successful in their driving test and driving theory test attempts – and if not, don’t worry, a new year can be a new start!

With Christmas looming ever nearer, it is necessary to remain vigilant, especially in the Winter conditions on the roads. With nights getting darker earlier and cold, wet conditions all over, be sure to take extra precautions when driving, and keep your speed down when driving this Christmas!

Safe driving from Britannia!

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December 1, 2014
The End Of The Turn In The Road?

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Some call it tricky, some say it is the easiest manoeuvre. The notorious turn in the road, sometimes incorrectly termed three-point-turn, looks set to be scrapped in the biggest shake-up to the driving test in 20 years.

The new changes being considered would see the doubling of the independent driving section from 10 to 20 minutes to take up half the total length of the practical test. The trial, to be taken by 1,000 learners, will also ask candidates to follow directions on a car satnav ‘as an alternative to using road signs’. The trial will also consider replacing the ‘reverse around a corner’ and ‘turn in the road’ manoeuvres with more ‘realistic’ everyday manoeuvres, such as ‘reversing out of a parking bay’ or ‘pulling up on the left or right before re-joining the flow of traffic’. It could also see candidates being asked one of the two safety questions whilst on the move.

However, motoring groups have argued that removing basic manoeuvres like the turn in the road could be detrimental since they are essential, for example, in situations where satnavs lead you down a dead road, a scenario far from rare.

The driving test has seen a number of changes over its lifetime, from the removal of the requirement for hand signals to the introduction of the theory test and independent driving section in recent years. However, the proposed changes are arguably the most radical over the past 20 years.

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