Fear that learners will flood streets! – say Bedford driving instructors

DRIVING instructors from Wellingborough and Rushden are flocking to Kettering to teach learners on the town’s streets in preparation for the opening of a new test centre.

  Example of a Multi Purpose Test Centre, picture from DSA

Kettering’s current driving test centre in Station Road is due to stop car tests on September 18 and end its motorcycle tests and shut its doors for good on September 26. Wellingborough’s driving test centre is also due to shut on September 18.

However, the new £122,000 driving test ‘supercentre‘ in Orion Way, Kettering, will not open for car and motorcycle testing until September 29.

The closure of the Wellingborough centre will mean learner drivers having to pay more because they will not be able to travel to Kettering and have a meaningful lesson in just one hour.

There are concerns that roads in Kettering will be packed with learner drivers because all the tests in the north of the county will be taken in the town from that date.

Pam Newman, of Pam’s Driving School in Wellingborough, has been a driving instructor for six years and has been teaching learners in Wellingborough for two years.

She said: “We are going to have to take learners to Kettering. The old saying that a driver who can drive can pass their test in any town in the country is a load of rubbish.

“Unfortunately it’s going to mean more money for the pupils. I have got people living in Raunds, Rushden and Irchester and you can’t just do an hour-long lesson, you can’t get over to Kettering and back from the other side of Wellingborough in an hour.”

Helen Ridsdel, of Helen’s Driving School, has been teaching learners in Wellingborough for two-and-a-half years and took part in a protest by the town’s instructors to save Wellingborough test centre.

She said: “We are going to have to bring learner drivers over to Kettering.

“We are going to try to be sensible about it and teach them the basics in Wellingborough and bring them to Kettering when they are getting ready for their tests.

“We have got learners who have tests booked for October at the new test centre who we are already bringing over to Kettering.

“I think there could be a problem. People moan about learners already and there will be even more coming over.”

Source: Northants. Evening Telegraph website

Comments please from driving instructors and driving schools who are BADDIA (Bedford and District Driving Instructors Association) members giving driving lessons, Pass Plus, advanced lessons, automatic lessons, disabled lessons, towing lessons, refresher courses, motorway lessons, fleet training in preparation for driving tests or driver improvement in the Bedford area.