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| Where's the toughest UK driving test? | Where's the toughest UK driving test? |
| (about 9 hours later) | |
| It is 80 years since driving tests became compulsory for all new drivers in Britain. But does it really matter where you take the dreaded exam? | It is 80 years since driving tests became compulsory for all new drivers in Britain. But does it really matter where you take the dreaded exam? |
| Sweaty palms, a pounding heart? It is a seminal point in a person's life when they take their driving test. | Sweaty palms, a pounding heart? It is a seminal point in a person's life when they take their driving test. |
| Pass and you are rewarded with freedom, career prospects and new friends who need lifts. Get it wrong and you are left with the stigma of failure, a reliance on public transport and an overwhelming feeling of disappointment. | Pass and you are rewarded with freedom, career prospects and new friends who need lifts. Get it wrong and you are left with the stigma of failure, a reliance on public transport and an overwhelming feeling of disappointment. |
| The Driving and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) says instructors are regularly assessed to ensure tests are consistent across the country. But does that mean the test location is irrelevant? | The Driving and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) says instructors are regularly assessed to ensure tests are consistent across the country. But does that mean the test location is irrelevant? |
| Advanced Driving Instructor Sandra Macdonald-Ames, who was the driving expert in the BBC documentary So You Think You Can Drive, said test centres with higher pass rates tend to be in rural areas. | Advanced Driving Instructor Sandra Macdonald-Ames, who was the driving expert in the BBC documentary So You Think You Can Drive, said test centres with higher pass rates tend to be in rural areas. |
| "[Learners in rural areas] are effectively learning test routes in a fairly predictable environment," she said. | "[Learners in rural areas] are effectively learning test routes in a fairly predictable environment," she said. |
| "If you practise for 20 to 30 hours you will inevitably cover all the local roads at one time or another. There are no nasty surprises." | "If you practise for 20 to 30 hours you will inevitably cover all the local roads at one time or another. There are no nasty surprises." |
| She said there is a "constantly changing situation with multiple hazards" in major cities. | She said there is a "constantly changing situation with multiple hazards" in major cities. |
| "As it is more unpredictable, candidates are more likely to get it wrong as decision-making needs to be much sharper," she said. | "As it is more unpredictable, candidates are more likely to get it wrong as decision-making needs to be much sharper," she said. |
| "If you hesitate in London at a junction you make the traffic reports on Radio 2 for congestion. If you hesitate in a rural area, no one really notices as three cars are a queue." | "If you hesitate in London at a junction you make the traffic reports on Radio 2 for congestion. If you hesitate in a rural area, no one really notices as three cars are a queue." |
| Figures from DVSA for 2013 to 2014 show that while the average pass rate was 47.1%, you were almost 15 percentage points more likely to fail if you took your test in Belvedere in the London borough of Bexley. | |
| The centre is surrounded by residential roads with narrow lanes as well as higher speed A roads such as the A220 and A206. | The centre is surrounded by residential roads with narrow lanes as well as higher speed A roads such as the A220 and A206. |
| But Mark Hewitt, who stopped taking pupils to the Belvedere test centre a year ago because of its reputation, said it was not the busy roads that make it tough. | But Mark Hewitt, who stopped taking pupils to the Belvedere test centre a year ago because of its reputation, said it was not the busy roads that make it tough. |
| "I don't think it's the test centre, it's the examiners," he said. | "I don't think it's the test centre, it's the examiners," he said. |
| "A few of them are all right, the rest just don't chat. They are so dead quiet. Pupils need to see that the examiners are human as well." | "A few of them are all right, the rest just don't chat. They are so dead quiet. Pupils need to see that the examiners are human as well." |
| Of the top 10 centres with the lowest pass rate last year, five were in London, three were in the Birmingham area, one was in Leeds and one was in Luton. | Of the top 10 centres with the lowest pass rate last year, five were in London, three were in the Birmingham area, one was in Leeds and one was in Luton. |
| At the other end of the scale, candidates who took their test on islands off the coast of Scotland were more likely to succeed. | At the other end of the scale, candidates who took their test on islands off the coast of Scotland were more likely to succeed. |
| Eight out of the 10 candidates who took their test at the Isle of Mull passed, seven out of nine at Barra and 38 out of 52 in Brodick. | Eight out of the 10 candidates who took their test at the Isle of Mull passed, seven out of nine at Barra and 38 out of 52 in Brodick. |
| Gordon Rae, who lives near the Isle of Mull test centre, has been an instructor for 12 years. He said the DVSA told him a few years ago tests on the islands were likely to be discontinued because they were not challenging enough. | Gordon Rae, who lives near the Isle of Mull test centre, has been an instructor for 12 years. He said the DVSA told him a few years ago tests on the islands were likely to be discontinued because they were not challenging enough. |
| He said there are no traffic lights, roundabouts or dual carriageways. | He said there are no traffic lights, roundabouts or dual carriageways. |
| "When you work in this business you are aware of it," he said. | "When you work in this business you are aware of it," he said. |
| "I have requests from people who live on the mainland but want to go over to Mull because the pass rate is so much better. But I refuse to do it because I believe in the ethos that when a candidate has a test, they should be ready for it. | "I have requests from people who live on the mainland but want to go over to Mull because the pass rate is so much better. But I refuse to do it because I believe in the ethos that when a candidate has a test, they should be ready for it. |
| "They might pass in Mull but when they go into one of the big cities, they would be like a fish out of a pond. It's an accident waiting to happen." | "They might pass in Mull but when they go into one of the big cities, they would be like a fish out of a pond. It's an accident waiting to happen." |
| In England, the Kendal test centre in the Lake District yielded the highest number of passes with a 70.8% success rate. | In England, the Kendal test centre in the Lake District yielded the highest number of passes with a 70.8% success rate. |
| Jan Walker, who runs Jan's Driving School in Cumbria, said many people asked if they could take their test at Kendal because they believe it is easier. | Jan Walker, who runs Jan's Driving School in Cumbria, said many people asked if they could take their test at Kendal because they believe it is easier. |
| "Kendal has a lot of visitors so you get quite a few hold-ups," she said. | "Kendal has a lot of visitors so you get quite a few hold-ups," she said. |
| "It has a one-way system and you get stuck in traffic quite a bit. | "It has a one-way system and you get stuck in traffic quite a bit. |
| "When you are queuing in traffic you do not have to think that much. The cars in front of you are slowing down. | "When you are queuing in traffic you do not have to think that much. The cars in front of you are slowing down. |
| "When you are on a fast road you have to think that bit more quickly." | "When you are on a fast road you have to think that bit more quickly." |
| A DVSA spokesperson said pass rates could be influenced by various factors but refused to say if it was easier to pass at some test centres than others. | A DVSA spokesperson said pass rates could be influenced by various factors but refused to say if it was easier to pass at some test centres than others. |
| "Some people take more lessons and are better prepared for the test," a spokeswoman said. | "Some people take more lessons and are better prepared for the test," a spokeswoman said. |
| "Statistical factors can also play a part as the number of tests conducted at different test centres varies significantly. | "Statistical factors can also play a part as the number of tests conducted at different test centres varies significantly. |
| "We train examiners to a high standard and closely monitor their work to ensure that all tests are assessed consistently across the country." | "We train examiners to a high standard and closely monitor their work to ensure that all tests are assessed consistently across the country." |