Newslink August

msagb.com
Newslink
The Voice of MSA GB
Issue 343 • August 2021
B+E trailers:
ADIs’ fury over testing cut and
proposal to remove category
We work for all Driver Trainers. Want to join? See pg 39 for a special introductory offer

02 NEWSLINK n MAY 2021

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DVLA woes are contributing
to more licence backlogs
Colin Lilly
Editor, Newslink
It may be a little early to think in terms
of ‘post-Covid’, but as the lockdowns and
other restrictions have eased a range of
other problems have arisen – driver
shortages, driving test waiting lists and
driving lesson availability.
Although driving school business is at
levels across the board not seen for
many years, the public find many of
these aspects frustrating.
At the centre of the issues affecting
drivers is the Driving and Vehicle
Licensing Agency (DVLA). They have
already been the subject the Transport
Select Committee evidence gathering on
two occasions this year. In January the
committee asked for information on
DVLA’s Covid-19 procedures, which led
to the biggest Covid outbreak of any
workplace. There have been, to date,
643 positive cases and one death among
the workforce at DVLA Swansea.
On the second occasion, in mid-July,
the committee were enquiring into the
backlog of applications at the establishment.
The first to give evidence were
representatives of Public and Commercial
Services (PCS) Union. Mark Serwotka,
General Secretary PCS Union, a position
he has held for 21 years, and Sarah
Evans, Branch Chair of CPS Union at
DVLA in Swansea, put much of the
problem down to the low level of home
working in the agency. Compared to
other government agencies and
departments, DVLA fared poorly in this
regard. As an example, HMRC switched
90 per cent of its workforce to home
working, and many other government
departments achieved similarly high
levels, but DVLA insisted the majority of
staff stayed working in the office. With a
policy of social distancing in the office
this has caused a gradual increase in the
backlog.
The union contends that in the Drivers
Medical area, 95 per cent of staff could
work at home. The DVLA said the
question of confidentiality was at the
core, despite the fact that the information
is available to doctors, nurses and others
in medical organisations. The union
asserted that the DVLA did not trust their
staff to work effectively from home,
which has damaged organisational
morale.
The union began industrial action in
mid-April which added to problems, but
by June 1 the union made an
‘agreement’ with local managers which
would have ended the dispute. However,
the minister refused to sign-off the
agreement and the dispute continues.
The current policy has meant that
those isolating because of contact with a
Covid case were not able to work at
home, thus reducing the efficiency of the
process.
After the union presented their
evidence, Baroness Vere, Minister for
Roads, Buses and Places, Department
for Transport appeared before the
committee, along with Julie Lennard,
Chief Executive DVLA, appearing
virtually.
They said that much of the delay was
due to the high volume of postal items,
around 60,000 items a day. To help,
they have 500 staff working each
weekend to reduce the backlog. There
remains a backlog of 1.4 million cases
spread over various licence application
issues.
While the majority of DVLA business is
conducted online, (77 per cent of licence
transactions are dealt with digitally)
much of the business cannot be handled
in that way, they said.
I can personally vouch for the fact that
the online system could be improved. My
driving licence needed to be updated last
November but was extended by 11
months. I decided that, with all the
stories of delays in handling applications,
not to wait until the last moment and so
renewed back in April.
It was suggested I could apply online
so that is what I attempted to do. I went
through the questions which were
answered as per my last licence except a
new question – ‘How long had I lived at
my current address?’.
Continued on page 6
CONTACT
To comment on this article or any other
issue surrounding driver training and
testing, contact Colin via
editor@msagb.com
Welcome to your
digital, interactive
Newslink
See a pale blue box in any article
or on an advert? It it contains a
web address or email, it’s
interactive. Just click and it will
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To get the
full story,
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How to access this
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You can read Newslink in three
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Go online and read the interactive
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when you don’t have a mobile
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Alternatively, a pdf can be found
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Follow the
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Download
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COVER STORY
Plans to change the B+E
licence regime has created
a huge row, with trainers
up in arms amid claims the
proposals will damage road
safety.
Pg 6, and from pg 10
NEWSLINK n AUGUST 2021
03

28
24
32
16
News
B+E row is testing
ADIs’ patience
MSA GB leads protests as the DfT floats
proposals to cut back on B+E testing –
and even axe it altogether
– pg 6 and 10-14
DVSA round up
All the latest from the DVSA, including
new theory test centres and DTCs – and
plans for NHS Trusts to be given the
power to test its own ambulance drivers
in the future – pg 8
08
Dear Rishi... thanks
The financial impact of Covid-19 is laid
bare as the DVSA posts its Annual
Report for 2020-21 – pg 16
True price of retirement
Have you thought about the true cost of
retiring, asks Rod Came – pg 20
Mirrors, mirrors...
Top reason to fail the L-test is still poor
observation at junctions – pg 21
Be smart with your diary
management
Go Roadie has teamed up with MSA GB
to produce a new app that takes the
hassle out of diary management – pg 22
Newslink
The Voice of MSA GB
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whole or part is forbidden
without express
permission of the editor.
04 NEWSLINK n AUGUST 2021

For all the latest news, see www.msagb.com
Features
Filling the delivery slots – and
keeping businesses moving
With the shortage of delivery drivers becoming
acute, Rod Came has a simple idea that will
help keep business on the move – pg 24
Looking to advance? Don’t forget
to check your own driving
When do you last have your own driving
evaluated, asks Steve Garrod? If it’s been a
while, perhaps now is the time for a quick
refresher course before bad habits creep in
that you could pass on to pupils – pg 26
Keep in
touch 1
If you have updated your
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numbers or changed your email
address recently, please let us
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2
Regional News/Views
Poor reporting and the
hidden heroes
Media should be taken to task over
how it reports on motoring, plus a
spotlight on the hidden heroes of
the NHS: the Freewheelers Blood
Bikers – pg 30
Hot, hot, hot, and ADI threatened
July was searingly hot... and presented some new problems
for drivers to content with. Elsewhere, ADI threatened by
thugs is a reminder of new dangers – pg 32
Never trust a pigeon... and in memory of a
much-missed ADI and friend
Karyn Cunningham is in the Newslink Q&A spotlight, while
a group of ADIs in East Kilbride channel their grief over the
loss of a friend to a great cause – pg 36 and 37
Follow MSA GB on social media
20
Mental health and driving
Special feature on how poor mental health
can affect your driving – and what steps you
need to take if you are struggling with anxiety
and depression – pg 28
Keep in
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training and testing
regime.
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NEWSLINK n AUGUST 2021
05

News
DVLA woes
creating more
licence backlogs
Continued from page 3
Up came the message ‘Your
information does not match our records’.
Despite giving the correct answers they
appear not to match their incorrect
records. End result – a needless postal
application.
Perhaps DVLA are authors of their own
problems?
Currently, the processing time for
postal applications is up to 10 weeks. A
member of the Select Committee
expressed concern as a large bus
company in their constituency was
having problems training and acquiring
drivers because of the long time taken to
issue PCV provisionals and PCV
extensions. Much the same is happening
within the haulage industry.
The MPs in committee then held a
protracted discussion around the DVLA’s
‘agreement’ as to whether it was an
agreement or a set of proposals.
In the end it is the public and business
that is suffering and there is no clear end
in sight. As Mark Serwotka stated: “I
have never encountered, in 21 years, the
level of incompetence and mismanagement
that is on display at DVLA in
Swansea.”
If you wish to view the
Select Committee session
you can watch it here:
or read the transcript
here
There is also a petition on Petitions
– UK Government and Parliament,
entitled ‘Inquiry into the DVLA’s
performance during the Covid-19
pandemic’ which questions
if DVLA is fit for purpose.
You can find it here:
B+E trailer row is testing
trainers’ patience
Peter Harvey mbe
National Chairman
MSA GB
As you will read in our main news feature
on pg 10-14, a major row has broken out
within the driver training and testing
sector after the Government announced
plans to cut the number of test slots
available for B+E testing, to create space
for more LGV tests.
The decision has, as you would expect,
gone down badly with members who are
active in this sector.
What has made it worse is that the DfT
is also floating the idea of doing away
with B+E testing altogether.
As soon as the news broke – not
through official channels but through the
pages of the Daily Telegraph – MSA GB
stepped in, talking to B+E trainers and
making our views known to the DVSA
and the DfT.
It is interesting that few people we are
in conversation with are laying claim to
the plan, and as this issue of Newslink
was being published there was still a
great deal of confusion surrounding
exactly what is being proposed.
It may well be that what we have here
is a concrete Government proposal that
Email update
Our head office team has had a few members report that they
haven’t been receiving our regular emails and updates. On
closer inspection, it turns out the members have forgotten
tell us their latest email address.
It’s easy to forget to let us know when you switch your
email address, which often happens when you change IT/
broadband provider. So we’d ask all members, if you are not
receiving emails from us on a regular basis, check we have your
current email address. Thanks.
will shake up the sector – or possibly an
example of what journalists call ‘the silly
season’, that period of summer when
senior officials and Ministers are on
holiday and daft ideas come to the
surface. Who knows.
What we do know is that as Newslink
was published the MSA GB, alongside
our colleagues at NASP, wrote to the
Minister for Road Safety, Baroness Vere,
and expressed our deep misgivings about
the proposal. On many levels – road
safety, driver standards and simple
fairness to those ADIs whose businesses
rely on these tests – cutting test slots
makes little sense, while scrapping them
altogether threatens to undo two decades
of real progress on improving the safety
record of caravanners and trailer towers.
You can read more about this story on
pg 10-14, including the views of trainers,
and if you want to see exactly what NASP
told Baroness Vere, you can read it on the
MSA GB website at the link below.
Last point: this story is another example
of how MSA GB fights for its members in
the face of legislative changes that
threaten jobs or downgrade road safety.
Always remember, if you have an issue
such as this,
we will be in
your corner.
Click here for
NASP response
Key information
Follow the links for the latest up-to-date news on
NASP updated
guidance here
(click button right)
On theory tests
(click button right)
L- tests
(click button right)
Instructor guidance
(click button right)
The latest Standard Operating Procedures
can be found on the NASP website for:
Driving Test; Vocational Test; Motorcycle
Test; ADI Part 2 Test; ADI Part 3 Test and
Standards Checks
They are changing all the time.
Make sure you know the
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Check the
rules
06
NEWSLINK n AUGUST 2021

News
DVSA confirms new theory venues
The new addresses of several theory test
centres have now been confirmed.
As part of the roll out of DVSA’s new
theory test service, the locations of many
theory test centres are changing, with a
number of new centres to open. The
seven new theory test centre venues are:
Region A (Scotland and the North)
The new test centre in Crianlarich is
at: Ground Floor, Crianlarich Village Hall,
Main Street, Crianlarich, FK20 8QN.
Elgin: Ground Floor, 147 High Street,
Elgin, Morayshire, IV30 1DS
Galashiels: Main Hall, Hope Central, 1-3
Overhaugh Street, Galashiels, TD1 1DL.
Oban: The Oak Room, The Rockfield
Centre, Linndhu House, 19 Stevenson
Street, Oban, PA34 5NA
Penrith: Ground Floor, Main Hall,
Friends Meeting House, Meeting House
Lane, Penrith, CA11 7TR.
Scarborough: 49 Westborough,
Scarborough, YO11 1UN
Stirling: Suite 2, Part of Unit 1, Ground
Floor, Lomond Court, Castle Business
Park, Stirling, FK9 4TU
Region C (East Midlands and South East)
Boston: Ground Floor, 17a Wide
Bargate, Boston, PE21 6SR.
Chelmsford: Suite 4, Second Floor,
Saxon House, 27 Duke Street,
Chelmsford, CM1 1HT.
Ilford: Pioneer Point, 3-5 Winston Way,
Ilford, IG1 2FS
Ipswich: Suite 1, Second Floor, Hubbard
House, 6 Civic Drive, Ipswich, IP1 2QA
Southgate: Unit RU3, Tally Ho Corner
High Road, London, N12 0BP
Southwark: Second Floor (South),
Manor House, 224-236 Walworth Road,
Walworth, SE17 1JE.
Watford: Unit 3, Orient Centre,
Greycaine Road, WD24 7GP
These new centres open on 6
September and tests can be booked at
GOV.UK. If your pupils need a test before
this date they can find other theory test
centres in their local area by looking on
the ‘find your nearest’ theory test page.
Consultation launched as NHS trusts look
to take over ambulance driver testing
The DVSA has launched a consultation to
see whether the driving training and
testing sector would back NHS Trusts
conducting their own driving tests for
ambulance drivers.
Currently, all ambulance driver testing is
performed by DVSA examiners. However,
some organisations are already allowed to
conduct driving tests for their own staff,
including the Ministry of Defence (MoD)
and police and fire services, under a
scheme known as ‘delegated testing’.
The current consultation would look at
extending delegated testing arrangements
to NHS ambulance services and
foundation trusts. It is also about allowing
the services to conduct driving tests for
one another, which we call ‘cross-testing’.
The DVSA says it has been thinking of
making this change for some time, which
suggests the timing is not directly linked
to the current high waiting times for car
L-tests which have led to proposals to
switch B+E licence examiners to car
testing, and potentially scrap these tests
altogether (see pg 6 and from pg 10).
The DVSA said in a statement that it
had been “our intention to make these
changes for some time. This is because
some police and fire services have told us
that they would like to co-operate in the
way that they go about driver training and
testing. More recently, the MoD has also
expressed an interest in this idea.”
It also stated that the coronavirus
pandemic “reinforced our view and gave
urgency to the need for delegated testing
to be available to NHS ambulance
services.”
“Although DVSA was able to provide
tests for ambulance drivers and
paramedics during the national lockdowns
(for England, Scotland, and Wales), the
proposal would have provided good
options and additional resilience.”
This consultation seeks your views on
these proposals. It applies to Great
Britain, but not to Northern Ireland as
driver testing there is not run by DVSA. It
includes questions about the possible
impacts on road safety and how the NHS
and emergency services might adjust their
approach to driver testing if these changes
are made.
The consultation is being conducted in
line with the government’s consultation
principles.
If you have any comments about the
consultation process email consultation@
dft.gsi.gov.uk.
To read the consultation in full, click the
panel below.
Click here for
the full story
New proposals
would see NHS
Trusts test their
own ambulance
drivers and work
more closely with
other services such
as the police and
the MoD
08
NEWSLINK n AUGUST 2021

For all the latest news, see www.msagb.com
Theory boost over additional slots
More than 4,500 additional theory tests
have been added to the booking system
beween now and the start of September
after the Scottish Government relaxed
that physical distancing rules from 2
metres to 1 metre in indoor settings.
Candidates with an existing test slot
later in the year are being contacted to
see if they would like to an earlier test if
they feel ready to take their test sooner.
The new booking service is available
at the same web address as the current
DVSA opens new Shetlands base
DVSA has announced a new venue for
motorcycle module 1 and lorry tests on
the Shetland Isles.
After working closely with the local
authority, the agency has agreed to use a
new site at Scatsca Airport to provide
motorcycle and lorry tests.
These tests at the new site are
available to book now.
The full address of the new venue is
Scatsta Airport, Brae, Shetland ZE2 9QP.
Officials said they were pleased to have
one – https://www.gov.uk/book-theorytest.
If you want to change a theory test
from a date booked for before, or on 3
September, to a date on or after 6
September, you will need to cancel your
current theory test on GOV.UK and
rebook online using the new booking
system. This is because the two booking
systems are separate.
Refunds will be paid in the usual way
from the old booking system.
found a new venue that could open
immediately after the closure of the
previous site on July 31.
Callander driving test centre to re-open
The DVSA has confirmed that the
part-time driving test centre at Callander
will re-open for testing on November 16.
Test appointments at the centre have
been added to the booking system.
The address is Callander Youth Hostel,
6 Bridgend, Callander FK17 8AH.
Extra time to find
extra examiners
The DVSA’s push to appoint new driving
examiners saw it extend the deadline for
applications to August 2. The extension
was to the second phase of recruitment,
which is looking to appoint 109
examiners in a number of DVSA regions,
including London and South-East
England; East England and the East
Midlands; South and South-West
England; the Manchester area; and
Cardiff. Overall, the agency is looking to
recruit 300 new examiners as it looks to
reduce test waiting times.
New Chair for DVSA
The DVSA has appointed Nick Bitel
appointed as its Non-Executive Chair.
He replaces Shrin Honap, who stood
down at the end of June. In the forward
to the 2020-2021 DVSA Annual Report
Mr Honap paid tribute to the
commitment of DVSA staff as the
agency responsed to the Covid-19
pandemic
• DVSA Annual Report review:
See page 16
NEWSLINK n AUGUST 2021
09

News - B + E Trainer row
B+E trainers up in arms as
criticism mounts over plans
MSA GB has stepped in to support
instructors who conduct B + E training
after the DVSA/DfT announced that such
tests would be reduced considerably in
the short term to allow for more LGV
tests, and potentially could be scrapped
in the long term.
One member said the plans
demonstrated the DfT/DVSA’s blatant
disregard for people’s livelihoods, while
others criticised a policy that could have
a major impact on lowering driving
standards. Chris Allen from Go Towing
told MSA GB that “the idea of a 17-yearold
passing their test and hooking up a
two-tonne caravan before driving down
the M1 on their first motorway drive is
utter madness.”
The policy has been suggested as a
solution to the current severe shortage of
LGV drivers in the UK, which is having a
disastrous knock-on effect on a host of
business supply chains, including for
food, medicines and fuel.
The driver shortage is being blamed on
a sharp fall in the number of EU
nationals working in the UK haulage
sector since Brexit. Since the end of last
year, when the UK formally left EU rules
on road haulage, LGVs cannot utilise
fully the cabotage scheme. This has
removed many European trucks from UK
roads which previously had completed
extra pick-ups and deliveries in addition
to their original load. Evidence also
points to many EU nationals who drove
in the UK but have now returned home,
citing concerns over Brexit and Covid-19.
Whatever the reasons, many businesses
within the retail, construction and
logistics sectors face acute difficulties in
What the trainers say...
obtaining the drivers they need for their
operations, with some retailers predicting
the scarcity of drivers will lead to
shortages in the shops, particularly food.
To help ease the shortage, the DfT
plans to increase LGV testing to get more
UK drivers behind the wheel – but at a
price. The number of B+E trailer tests
will be reduced so examiners can be
The driving licence regulations state
that if you passed your car driving
test on or after 1 January 1997 you
can:
• drive a car or van up to 3,500kg
maximum authorised mass (MAM)
towing a trailer of up to 750kg MAM
• tow a trailer over 750kg MAM as
long as the combined MAM of the
trailer and towing vehicle is no more
than 3,500kg
re-allocated to LGVs, and this plan is
causing huge concern for those ADIs
whose principal business is this testing.
More worrying, ADIs have been asked
for their views on ending the need to take
a B+E test in the future, allowing car
licence holders to tow a caravan or trailer
without further training or taking a test.
MSA GB national chairman Peter
Harvey said the decision to reduce B+ E
testing slots had caught many by
surprise. “When the news broke we were
inundated with complaints from members
who conduct B+E training. Coming on
the back of the pandemic, when many
ADIs have had little or no work, it has
come as a body-blow.”
Peter cited concerns over safety
standards and whether licence holders
were capable of handling the extra
challenges posed by towing a trailer or
caravan as reasons to question the
wisdom of both decisions, while noting
the disastrous impact scrapping B+E
trailer tests long-term would have on
those ADIs who focused on them.
He said: “It really feels as if the DfT is
planning to rip the rug from under the feet
of a number of dedicated road safety
professionals without real reason to do so.
“We do not agree with reducing B+E
testing, but at least a case can be made
to justify it in the very short-term. Axeing
them all together seems nonsensical.
“If, as appears, the Government and
the logistics sector have been caught out
by Brexit reducing the number of drivers
available, this is an issue that should
have been sorted out years ago – indeed,
it should have been considered before
the referendum in 2016. To only
acknowledge the problem now, five years
later, and to try to solve the issue by
introducing policies that will destroy the
livelihoods of driver trainers, is a dreadful
example of knee-jerk decision-making
and begs the question, is anyone in
Westminster taking note of the
Karl Hunt, B+E trainer,
in an open letter to MPs
“I appreciate that there is a need to
increase the testing capacity for LGVs
but I find it incredulous that the
Government is considering removing the
need for an additional test for B+E
entitlement.... this will not do anything
to maintain or improve driving standards
and reduce KSI figures. If anything it will
increase the number of incidents involving
vehicles towing trailers up to 3500kg.
“The national pass rate for B+E driving
tests was 69.6% for 2019/20 and only
58% for 2020/21 – therefore 30-42% of
people taking this test are unable to
demonstrate the minimum standard of
driving and competence to do so.
“A Government report – Trailer Safety
Report – identified 983 collisions
involving vehicles towing single, multiple
trailers and caravan (B+E category) of
which 358 were assigned to peoplerelated
contributory factors, ie, the driver;
this is five times higher than contributory
factors assigned to either vehicle or road
individually as contributory factors!
“This would indicate that there is a
need for formal testing of drivers with a
requirement to tow on the road, and that
the removal of such testing would do
nothing to help with improving driving
standards and safety on UK roads.”
10
NEWSLINK n AUGUST 2021

For all the latest news, see www.msagb.com
‘‘
The public demand for B+E
training has been growing faster
than the demand for LGV for
the past six years, it makes no
sense to penalise one category
at the expence of another
‘‘
consequences of such decisions?”
B+E trainers have reacted with fury
over the decision. Chris Allen from Go
Towing told MSA GB that abolishing the
B+E category was “ill thought out”, and
asked what would happen when UK
licence holders try to take their caravan
without passing a BE test? “Will they be
allowed to tow in a country that does still
have this licence category?”
He added that the idea of “a 17-yearold
passing their test and hooking up a
two-tonne caravan before driving down
the M1 (on their first motorway drive) is
utter madness.”
Matt Price of Matt Price Driver Training
said the need for keeping B+E training
and testing was paramount: “I’ve been in
this sector for 15 years and I’ve never
had a driver who didn’t require some
extra training – even the best candidates.
They need to learn how to use the door
mirrors and understand the length of the
vehicle.”
He also queried where the demand
was coming from. “It’s okay for the
Government to say we need more LGV
drivers but are there enough people
coming forward for tests? As far as I can
see the waiting list for LGV exams is only
around six weeks at present in my area.
This was a belief echoed by Karl Hunt,
another experienced trainer working in
this sector. In a letter to MPs he said: “A
Government report, Trailer Safety Report,
identified 983 collisions involving
vehicles towing single, multiple trailers
and caravan (B+E category) of which
358 were assigned to people-related
contributory factors, ie, the driver; this is
five times higher than contributory
factors assigned to either vehicle or road
individually as contributory factors.
Continued on page 12
Chris Allen, Go Towing: “Abolishing
B+E is ill thought out and dangerous.
What will drivers do who enter
Europe without passing a BE test?
The idea of a 17-year-old passing
their test and hooking up a 2 tonne
caravan before driving down the M1
(on their first motorway drive) is utter
madness.
“If B licence holders are permitted to
go straight to C+E, the pass rate for
C+E will drop from an already low
figure and training schools will be
clogged up with pupils who need
re-tests. In addition not that many
trainers can offer C+E.”
NEWSLINK n AUGUST 2021
11

News - B + E Trainer row
Continued from page 10
An anonymous East Mids ADI pointed
out that this year will see more caravans
on the roads than ever before, as foreign
travel is curtailed by the pandemic. If
this trend were to continue in the future
with more untrained drivers, “how many
deaths or life-changing accidents does it
need to do a U turn? Is it one, 10, 100
or 1,000?”
In his experience, the driving skills of
too many motorists were not up to
towing a caravan or trailer without
guidance. “Every so-called experienced
driver I take on, I have to remind of
important essentials of basic driving. I
can only imagine the problems they can
cause with no training. Deaths will
follow.”
“This would indicate that there is a
need for formal testing and assessment
of drivers with a requirement to tow on
the road.”
‘‘
Years of lack of foresight and
mismanagement by the DVSA
has caused this examiner
shortage and instructors
should not be penalised for it...
‘‘
He also pointed out that the pass rate
for B+E tests fluctuated between 69 and
60 per cent, “therefore 31-40% of
people taking this test are unable to
demonstrate the minimum standard of
driving and competence to do so.”
Fellow B+E trainer Les Britton was
appalled that the information first
appeared in a leak to the Daily
Telegraph, and that news was already
having an affect: “Tests are being
cancelled already. The government is
showing an appalling disregard for
[trainers’] livelihoods.”
He added that “the public demand for
B+E training has been growing faster
than the demand for LGV for the past six
years, so it makes little sense to penalise
one category at the expense of another.”
“Respectfully, I suggest there are more
proactive and safe ways in which the
ministers can look to resolve the driver
shortage in the UK!”
Steve Thomas of Raglan Driving
Training said the plans “unfairly punish”
ADIs like him who rely on B+E training
for their livelihood. “Contrary to popular
belief, B+E Training is not conducted
solely by larger HGV training companies
as a sideline to their lorry training, but by
many solo ADIs. If you restrict my access
to tests any further, I will be out of work
overnight.”
He wondered whether anyone had
costed how much this plan could cost
the DVSA. “Pre-pandemic I would
average 120 to 135 tests per year,
generating £13,800 to £15,500 in test
fees to the DVSA; seemingly you wish to
dismiss my contribution as insignificant?
The solution to many was obvious:
recruit more examiners. “I understand
this is already in progress, but years of
lack of foresight and mismanagement by
the DVSA has caused this examiner
shortage and driving instructors should
not seemingly being penalised for it.
Steve was also concerned about the
road safety implications: “Abolishing the
B+E Test in the future would make a
complete mockery of the law for the past
24 years and of the DVSA mantra, ‘SAFE
DRIVING FOR LIFE’. All the good work in
improving road safety in the towing
sector by my profession will have been in
vain.”
However, it has to be said that not
everyone was against the proposal: A
representative of Priestly LGV Training in
Lincolnshire told MSA GB: “We
wholeheartedly agree that the best way
forward is to allow drivers to go straight
from B to C+E – from car to artic – as
they did pre-1997.
“Most of our trainees only do the Cat C
as a stepping stone to C+E as that is the
job that they are going for or have been
offered.
“So although the extra training course
is a moneymaker for the DVSA, it is of no
use to the trainee; in our opinion should
not be necessary if they only want to go
on to artic.”
12
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‘‘‘‘
Comment
B + E plan is madness and threatens
to derail road safety advances
Rod Came
MSA South East
It probably seemed like a good idea at
the time. Go back to January 1, 1997, a
date etched in the annals of driver
training history, the date at which new
car drivers received only a licence to
drive Category B vehicles.
Cat B vehicles, goods or passenger,
have a Maximum Authorised Mass
(MAM) of 3,500kgs and have eight
passenger seats including the driver. It
seemed so simple.
Prior to this a car test pass allowed the
licence holder to drive 7,500kg goods
vehicles towing a trailer, and passengercarrying
vehicles up to 17 people
including the driver and towing a trailer.
But it was obviously not in the
interests of road safety for somebody to
pass a basic learner driver test in a Mini
and then leap into the cab of a 7.5 tonne
truck, possibly towing a heavy trailer, so
for once we had a licence change for the
better.
Of course, that was too good to last.
The first change was that once a car
driver had held a licence for two years,
whether they had driven during that time
or not, they could then drive a
16-passenger seat minibus if they were
over 21 years provided its MAM did not
exceed 3,500 kgs.
Not content with that alteration, things
were taken one step further. If the
minibus carried disabled access
equipment, for example, two small
ramps stored above the driver’s
compartment, never to be used, then the
MAM could increase to 4,250 kgs.
This left out van drivers, who were still
restricted to 3,500kgs, but that changed
when it was clear electric vans were
coming. Batteries are heavy, so to keep
car licence-holding van drivers working,
the maximum MAM for electric vehicles
was raised to 4,250kg for vans.
This all flies in the face of the original
idea of restricting the MAM new drivers
Why should the public be put
into danger to avoid the eggon-face
situation which the
DVSA finds itself in?
could pilot along the nation’s highways,
in the interests of road safety.
Now it might get worse. The DfT/DVSA
consultation paper suggests that to try
and alleviate the all too foreseeable crisis
of DVSA not being able to provide
enough practical driving test slots for the
pent-up demand, we could do away with
B + E car and trailer tests.
This would have a profound effect on
road safety.
As an ADI, just imagine some of your
clients who, having passed their category
B test, can then, without further training,
drive a 3,500 kg van towing a large
twin-axle trailer, with both carrying a
load, perhaps as much as 6,000 kgs in
total.
You may consider that a frightening
prospect, especially when they are
heading downhill toward your tuition car!
As you will have read on pg 6, and on
our special feature from page 10, many
are up in arms about this idea. NASP
has written to Baroness Vere,
Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State
in the Department for Transport,
indicating the disadvantages to road
users, trainers and employers of taking
such a retrograde step. It is only to be
hoped that wiser counsel will prevail and
that such an ill-conceived idea is rapidly
propelled toward the waste paper bin,
where it will probably be recycled into
some other proposal just as daft.
It has to be borne in mind that this
suggestion, which does the reverse of
improving road safety, is only being
raised to get the DVSA out of a hole
caused by a lack of driving test
examiners.
You have to ask why the public, each
and every one of us, should be put into
greater danger to avoid the egg-on-face
situation which the DVSA finds itself in?
The letter from NASP, as well argued
as it is, is unlikely to kill this proposal
stone dead. Continual pressure from all
parties involved in road safety has to be
applied, hopefully with a good outcome.
We shall have to wait and see.
• You can read the NASP letter in full
on the MSA GB website, here:
Click here for
NASP response
We are delighted to announce that MSA
GB will be hosting a series of in-person
training events and AGMs this autumn
as we get back to normal after Covid-19
restrictions.
Some are planned as evening events,
some half days and some full days. All
will feature a comprehensive rundown
of the current state of play within the
driving training and testing sector, with
great speakers to offer their own
personal insights into the key issues of
the day.
We hope you can join us at what will
be great events.
CPD Training events and AGMs
Date Area Contact for more information
28th October North East Mike: chair.ne@msagb.com
3rd November East Midlands Kate: chair.em@msagb.com
8th November Western Arthur: chair.ow@msagb.com
10th November West Midlands Geoff: deptnatchair@msagb.com
15th November Greater London Tom: chair.gl@msagb.com
15th November South East Fenella: chair.se@msagb.com
21st November Scotland Alex: chair.os@msagb.com
22nd November North West Graham: chair.nw@msagb.com
To be arranged Eastern Paul: chair.oe@msagb.com
14
NEWSLINK n AUGUST 2021

Introducing the new
Safe Driving for Life website
The Stationery Office (TSO) and the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) are
proud and delighted to announce the launch of the new Safe Driving for Life (SDFL) website.
To visit, go to www.safedrivingforlife.info.
Be prepared
The new SDFL website will support
learners through their theory and driving
tests and in becoming a life-long safe
driver. With a completely fresh and clean
look, the easy-to-navigate site provides
everything learners will need to know
during their driving life.
SDFL offers all this information for free:
n Practice theory tests for all the
driving/riding categories
n Hazard Perception tests
n Road signs tests
n Visual media clip tests
It will also give learner drivers or riders
a free taster of the theory test revision
material available through a paid-for
subscription.
TSO
All the advice
The popular blogs and advice content
from the old site are included in the new
SDFL site. They provide guidance for all
road users, wherever they are in their
driving life. And this content will be
easier to find and navigate.
New Features
One of the most significant changes to
the site is in the development of updated
eLearning modules (formerly on the
Official DVSA Learning Zone).
As with the Learning Zone, the
eLearning modules will be available
through a paid-for subscription. They
cover all driving categories, including
new modules for anyone wanting to train
as an ADI. The eLearning includes all the
information an ADI needs to help prepare
learners for their theory test.
And the eLearning modules include
some exciting new benefits, based on the
most up-to-date learning science. For
example:
n Active learning – exercises and
activities designed to engage learners
and promote learning
n The Forgetting Curve – this shows
how the brain does not retain
information over time if we do not
actively try to keep it. Typically, humans
tend to halve their memory of newly
learned knowledge in a matter of days or
weeks, unless they consciously review
the learned material. SDFL takes this
into account and actively encourages
learners to keep practising as their test
date approaches, to give them the best
chance of passing
n Test Readiness Gauge – the learner
will see a gauge on SDFL’s main
eLearning dashboard, giving them an
indication of when they’re ready to take
their test. The gauge is based on
different factors, including the amount of
practice questions the learner has
answered correctly and how long they’ve
spent studying.
ADI benefits
Another added benefit for the new
website is a huge increase in
functionality for ADIs:
n Learners will be able to share their
progress through the eLearning modules
with their ADI and parents. This allows
them to work through the theory element
together.
It also helps the learner through any
elements of the theory test they may be
struggling with.
n Any ADI can use the platform free
of charge. And, the more of their learners
they get to sign up to a subscription, the
more reward points they can earn.
The ADI can then redeem these
reward points in the form of Amazon
vouchers.
Use it, enjoy it, tell us
what you think!
We hope you’re as excited as we are
about SDFL and all its new features.
There’ll be an ongoing programme of
development and enhancement and we’ll
introduce more modules and
functionality over time.
During SDFL’s development, we
welcome your feedback. So please visit
www.safedrivingforlife.info: use it, enjoy
it and let us know what you think.
NEWSLINK n AUGUST 2021 15

DVSA Annual Report 2020-21
Dear Rishi,
many thanks,
love DVSA
The level of financial havoc caused by
pandemic is exposed in DVSA’s Annual
Report for 2020-2021 – with the Chancellor to
be thanked for keeping the show on the road
with some hefty funding. Rob Beswick reports
This time of year is always a favourite for
the DVSA watchers among us as we pore
over the agency’s Annual Report.
It’s not light-hearted reading, and is
very dry. It doesn’t touch on the things
that ADIs are often most interested in,
such as pass rates or the impact of
changes to the L-test, but it does offer a
fascinating insight into how the agency is
faring on a business and financial level.
Guess what? The answer to that
question for 2020-21 would be, ‘not
very well’. But before anyone complains
and calls for executives’ heads,
remember that this is the Covid-19
Annual Report and as Newslink has
reported over the past 12 months, the
financial impact of Covid-19 can never
be underestimated. So many L-tests were
missed that the sensitive balancing act
that all Government departments need to
master to keep their finances in check
was nigh-on impossible.
But now the exact state of the agency’s
finances is exposed: officially, ‘Actual
income was £150.4m below budget,
mainly due to the Covid-19 related
suspensions on theory and practical
driving tests and heavy vehicle testing…’
This fall translates into a loss of £54.2m
in the 12 months covered.
And before you draw a sharp intake of
breath at that figure, bear in mind that it
isn’t the real loss: the true figure was a
deficit of a whopping £115.8m.
Bearing in mind that Government
departments are meant to be run
conservatively in a way that delivers a
small ‘profit’ back to the Treasury, and
that its overall budget for the year in
question was slated as being around
£389m, that’s a stunning figure.
Why the different numbers? That’s
where the bountiful figure of the
Chancellor of the Exchequer, Rishi
Sunak, steps in. Sunak ‘gave’ the DVSA
‘emergency grant funding’ of £86.1m
from Treasury coffers. Of this, £66.6m
(is no-one at the DVSA or Treasury
superstition? Couldn’t they have made
that 66.7 to avoid the demonic ‘666’
figure?) was designated as ‘income’. In
other words, it was a Government gift to
replace lost test fees that the DVSA does
not have to pay back.
But while that may make the finance
director of the DVSA feel a little better, as
an ordinary taxpayer it makes for
ominous reading. After all, if a small
department such as the DVSA needs that
big a bail-out, how much public cash
went to the other, much bigger,
departments to keep the wheels turning?
But that is a wider question for another
day. Focusing purely on the DVSA, there
is the moot point of the remaining £20m
it received, which isn’t designated as
’income’. It is seen as ‘deferred income’,
meaning that the Treasury has loaned
the cash against future L-test / theory
Left, the DVSA’s routemap through the
pandemic, with the different responses
across Great Britain
16
NEWSLINK n AUGUST 2021

For all the latest news, see www.msagb.com
test / MoT fees and it will have to be
paid back over the next few years.
Donations welcomed, no doubt,
otherwise DVSA Chief Executive Loveday
Ryder is going to be looking down the
back of a lot of sofas to find the required
cash!
All joking aside, this is where we see
the first sign of ‘long Covid’ as far as the
UK’s finances are concerned. In 2019-
20 the DVSA made a surplus of £1.5m;
if it repeated that performance in
2022-23, and then again for the rest of
the decade, it would take until deep in
the 2030s to pay the £19.5m back. A
worry, I’m sure, for everyone at the DVSA
– and possibly for ADIs too, who may
wonder whether a Government minister
or Civil Service mandarin might look to
claw the money back sooner through
higher fees or reducing service standards.
But that is speculation. What is clear is
that, as expected, the pandemic drove a
coach and horses through the best laid
plans of the agency, and what we are left
with is a deeply worrying debt pile that
no-one could be blamed for.
The Annual Report lays bare again the
fall in testing activity: L-tests and theory
tests were at 33 per cent and 50 per
cent of expected numbers respectively.
Interestingly, however, the ‘VOSA’ side of
the agency did not fare as poorly in this
regard. HGV tests fell from 680,000 a
year in 2019-20 to 510,000, while
licensed vehicle operator work fell by
only 5,000. Vehicle and driver checks
fell, too, but not by as much as one
would expect, down from 172,000 to
126,000. MoT test certificates stayed
stable but one presumes that is linked to
the automatic renewal of certificates.
It all acts as a reminder of just how
bad 2020 was, for everyone.
However, the Annual Report is a Civil
Service document so there will still be
good news, despite the gloom and doom.
For instance, the agency has smashed its
target for the time driving examiners
spend actually conducting L-tests; they
are now doing that 71 per cent of the
time, against a target of 70 per cent.
Which does beg the question, with
digital marking of tests, why is the target
so low?
The report also reflects on the changes
forced on the DVSA by Covid-19. As the
report states: ‘Our office-based telephone
enquiry service was suspended in March
2020. In its place we introduced a full
home-based mobile telephony service in
May 2020.’
That bland statement hides many
logistical and HR challenges, and the
DVSA should be proud of its success in
keeping the wheels rolling last summer.
It was not a perfect solution; call
answering times lengthened, and MSA
GB knows only too well how many
members became frustrated at times in
their dealings with the DVSA. But you
cannot overlook the complexity they
faced in, basically, turning round to its
office staff and saying ‘go home, and
work from there.’ Just getting the
required IT and telephony kit into
everyone’s homes would have been a
challenge in itself, but then to keep all
staff working without regular face-to-face
contact with team leaders was another
challenge entirely.
Yet that was the challenge facing the
DVSA in April 2020, and that there was
a booking system and service of any kind
last summer was little short of a miracle.
Interestingly, the customer service
centre retained its accreditation with the
Customer Contact Association (CCA) and
its Customer Service Excellence Standard.
Continued on pg 18
NEWSLINK n AUGUST 2021
17

DVSA Annual Report 2020-21
DVSA keeps
smiling as it
comes to terms
with impact
of Covid-19
Continued from page 17
There was also an award for the DVSA
in the Brilliant Civil Service Awards
‘Improved Outcomes’ category for setting
up a pandemic
L-test booking
system and testing
regime for learners
whose work was
deemed critical to
the Covid-19
response; nearly
13,000 took their
L-test through a
service that was,
literally, set up from scratch in a matter
of days.
For all that ADIs like to have a dig at
the DVSA, its response to the pandemic
was impressive on many levels.
It is also notable that despite the
pandemic, work continued on the Future
Theory Test Service (FTTS). FTTS
replaces the current theory test service
from autumn, bringing management of
the service in-house and creating three
theory test centre network contracts.
In addition, to make the theory test
more accessible for candidates, new
video clips have replaced some written
text within the test, with short driving
scenarios followed by multiple-choice
questions.
What else was going on? Remember
Brexit? Well, preparations for that fell
within the timeframe of this report, and it
cost the agency around £5m. This was
not ADI related; rather, the ‘VOSA’ side of
the DVSA’s remit took the cash, but it all
comes from the same pot and is possibly
another cost the agency could have done
without, given what happened to its
income at the same time.
Another big change that hasn’t been
derailed is that the DVSA is no longer a
separate agency as its Trading Fund
status was scrapped on April 1. The
report states: ‘DVSA’s trading fund status
was revoked with effect from 1 April
2021. As part of this transition DVSA
repaid its public dividend capital of
£32.5m to DfT on 31 March 2021 (our
italics for emphasis...) and on 1 April
DVSA’s remaining deferred income
balances relating to DfT grant funding
were transferred to the general fund.’
In other words, the DVSA’s finances
are now rolled into the DfT’s, which at
least offers some shelter from the storm
of Covid-19.
‘‘
Brexit preparations cost the
DVSA about £5m... possibly
another cost the agency could
have done without, given what
happened at the same time...
‘‘
But that doesn’t mean the DVSA can
ignore its debts. Here’s an ominous line:
‘It will however take some time for both
capacity and demand to return to
normal,’ presumably affecting income
levels well into the future.
And all that assumes we’ll have no
more lockdowns.
So what lies in the future? Here’s a
clue: ‘Our vision is to have an estate that
is efficient, fit for purpose and
sustainable, supporting service delivery
and flexible to changing requirements.
DVSA’s estate includes 385 driving test
centres … the future of the driving test
centre estate will be determined by the
outcome of a number of consultations
relating to future driver and rider testing
delivery models. We are learning from
our experiences of different ways of
working during COVID-19. This is
helping us shape how and where our
colleagues work in the future and we
have an ongoing project to help us to
work together better, by focusing on
18
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For all the latest news, see www.msagb.com
outcomes for our customers and each
other. We are aiming to reduce our
administrative footprint significantly over
the next three years. Imminent lease
expiries and the development of
government hubs in all cities where the
agency has representation provide the
opportunity for the agency to introduce
modern, flexible working practices.’
This is classic Civil Service speak for
‘except changes to your local DTC, and
we’ll likely cut local admin centres’.
Other interesting snippets: DVSA staff
turnover has fallen, down from 8.4 per
cent a year to 6.4 per cent. The DVSA
might be proud of this but in truth, few
people left the security of a permanent
position in 2020 once Covid-19 arrived.
‘Better the devil you know’ was the
mantra – and this possibly explains the
reluctance of DVSA staffers to jump ship.
Certainly, staff don’t seem any happier.
10 per cent say they faced discrimination
in the workplace, which is a really
worrying stat, while 11 per cent have
faced bullying and harassment. What
isn’t stated is whether these incidents
involve their fellow DVSA staff or through
their interactions with the public;
certainly the 1,600 or so examiners face
‘‘
10 per cent of staff say they
have faced discrimination and
11 per cent harrassment or
bullying... if these figures are
linked to events solely within
the DVSA, that’s worrying
‘‘
challenges of this kind every day, and
that could be inflating those figures.
However, it has to be said that if the
figures are purely within DVSA, that is a
problem.
With the current huge focus on climate
change-related issues, it is no surprise
that the Annual Report devotes a lot of
attention to this subject. It’s overall
greenhouse gas emissions have been
slashed by a quarter since 2009-10 –
the year which was chosen as the
baseline for all Government departments’
sustainability figures – though Covid is
to thank for some of that. There have
been significant improvements in energy
use, waste and resources. What is
interesting is just how much flying DVSA
officials do: in 2009-2010, the agency
took an astonishing 2,742 flights. Who,
and where to? Its target was to have
reduced this to ‘only’ 2,002 in 2020-21.
No surprise this figure was annihilated:
just 64 flights were taken in 2020-21, a
fall of 97 per cent on the baseline. It will
be more interesting to see the figure this
time next year, or possibly the year after
that. Why are so many people flying?
Will the culture of Zoom meetings impact
on this figure in the future?
Finally, a stunning little stat, tucked
away in the later pages of the financial
report. ‘During the year one special
payment over £300,000 (2019-20: nil)
was made. The payment of £1,892,500
was for an agreed out of court
settlement of legal costs following a
failed prosecution led by DVSA.
‘A provision was made for this in the
2019-20 accounts but not reported
within losses and special payments as it
was uncertain how much would be
payable at that time.’
£1.9m lost on a failed court case?
What’s the story?
You’ll be delighted to know, we’re
looking into it…
NEWSLINK n AUGUST 2021
19

Comment
Don’t ignore the facts:
retirement costs
Rod Came
MSA South East
Last month I wrote about state pensions
and the misleading manner in which
they are portrayed.
But let’s forget that for a moment and
concentrate on the future, your future,
because a source of income to replace
your working day earnings will become
more important to you as retirement
approaches, which it does at an
increasing speed as it gets closer.
Of course, you could keep working
until you drop, providing the clients keep
coming, but do you really want to? Later
years of life are to be enjoyed, the daily
grind is past, it is time to relax.
That is a fallacy, of course. If you are
lucky enough to have a house and a
garden there are innumerable tasks that
will occupy your time. All retirees say, “I
don’t know how I found time to go to
work”, and it’s true.
At the moment the average household
income is £54,000 pa which appears to
be quite a large amount of money. I
expect that many ADIs whose partner
works will have a gross income near that
figure which ensures a reasonable
standard of living.
And then retirement arrives.
All of a sudden, unless other provision
has been made, the family income could
fall to about £20,000 pa. Whoops! The
mortgage should have been paid off but
all the other household bills remain, and
more importantly, you have a lot more
time on your hands, all those house and
garden tasks soak up money like there is
no tomorrow. Lunch out with friends
becomes a regular habit in normal times,
as does getting out and about, National
Trust, English Heritage and holidays do
not come cheap. The car will have to be
paid for from your reduced income, not
set against income tax, so will your
phone. It all adds up.
Some years ago, I wrote that the best
way to make tax-free money is to buy a
house, then when you can, buy a bigger
one, again and again, until you find that
the two of you are rattling around in a
small mansion which is far too large for
your needs, then you can downsize and
pocket the financial difference.
I still stick by that premise, but right
now, certainly in the South East, the
property market has gone mad. Sheds
sell for zillions; many houses sell the day
before they go on the market and people
are offering way over the advertised price
to secure their intended purchase. Now
is not the time to sell or buy. But when
will it be? Frankly I do not know. No help
there then.
When the housing market does level
out, as it will, that might be the time to
make a move either up-sizing or down. If
you are lucky enough to own a £800K
house, you could go to a £500K
bungalow and have a tax-free profit of
about £300K.
Having gone smaller with all that
money in the bank, that in itself becomes
a problem. What to do with it? £300K
sounds a lot, but it isn’t.
With the state pension being only
£20K a top-up will be needed, probably
at least £10K pa, more as the years
pass. Interest rates are pitiful so capital
growth is negligible, it may improve but
only if prices rise, which then eats away
at capital. The same capital that has to
last 20 years or more.
I am sorry to have to paint such a
bleak picture and I know that the truth
hurts, but it must be faced up to, sooner
or later. And that is the trick – facing up
to the reality and then taking steps to
alleviate it within your means.
I am not a financial consultant so do
not take my comments as gospel, take
professional advice, use your common
sense and consider all your options.
I wish you a happy retirement. I’m
enjoying mine.
20
NEWSLINK n AUGUST 2021

For all the latest news, see www.msagb.com
Mirror still biggest threat to
candidates’ L-test success
A survey by AA Driving School has
revealed the top 10 reasons for failing
the driving test this year.
As is often the case, poor observation
at junctions is the top reason for test
failure. Issues with mirrors, junctions
and responding to signals such as traffic
lights and signs have remained the top
two reasons for test failures for the past
five years. However, in 2019/20 faults
for steering, reverse parking and moving
off safely all ranked higher than this
year’s data.
The top 10 reasons for failing a
driving test in 2020/211 were:
1 Junctions (observation)
2 Mirrors (change direction)
3 Junctions (turning right)
4 Response to signals (traffic lights)
5 Control (steering)
6 Response to signals (traffic signs)
7 Response to signals (road markings)
8 Move off (safely)
9 Positioning (normal driving)
10 Move off (control)
But it’s not just learners who are a bit
intimidated by the L-test; many
experienced drivers say they would
dread taking a test today because of the
need to perform a parallel park.
Drivers were asked, if they had to
re-take the driving test, which skills or
manoeuvres they would find hardest to
demonstrate to pass.
The top five most challenging parts of
the test were:
1 Reverse park / parallel park 21%
2 Reverse around a corner 11%
3 Drive at appropriate speed 8%
4 Park in a bay 3%
5 Observation 3%
One third of women said they would
find parallel parking the hardest part of
a driving test (32%), compared to just
16% of men. However, men were more
likely to say they would find driving at
an appropriate speed more difficult
(10% men vs 5% women).
Licence changes
hint at further
moves in future
A consultation on changes to the laws
on driving licence acquisition and the
motorcycle riding test have led to a
number of recommendations.
It is proposed that in future, any
candidate who already holds a full
manual licence entitlement for a car,
lorry or bus who passes a B+E, C1,
C1+E, D1 or D1+E test, using an
automatic vehicle, will get both the
manual and automatic entitlements
for that sub-category
It has also been recommended that
the Minimum Test Vehicle
Requirement (MTV) for motorcycles
used for the A2 test be reduced from
395cc to 245cc, provided that the
other MTV requirements are still met.
The recommendations are awaiting
due legal processes but assuming this
is completed successfully, the
regulations will be amended
accordingly in the New Year.
NEWSLINK n AUGUST 2021
21

New products
New app with MSA GB Integration launches, giving
instructors more freedom and less stress
The smart diary management
for ADIs is three times faster
than competing apps
As the driving training and testing
profession gets back into full swing, the
recent track and trace ‘pingdemic’ is
forcing ADIs to regularly reschedule their
diaries, once again introducing a lot of
uncertainty. That’s on top of the daily
challenges of maintaining their waiting
list, managing their finances and last
minute cancellations.
The team at Go Roadie, who have been
working with thousands of instructors
across the UK since 2017, partnered
with local associations to analyse these
challenges, the industry and how to solve
them. From those conversations they
have created an app that reduces daily
admin to just a few taps. Waiting lists no
longer need to be manually maintained,
pupils check into lessons from a
reminder the day before, reducing last
minute cancellations, and your year end
finances are as simple as tapping a button.
“We worked with instructors right
across Scotland and the rest of the UK to
build an app that wasn’t just better than
what’s already out there, but something
was just as convenient as a paper diary,”
Michael Carr, managing director of
GoRoadie, told Newslink. “We saw
instructors wasting time with apps and
we wanted to avoid lots of data entry
and since instructors spend most of their
time in their car, everything needs to be
available in-app.
“That means no need to turn on your
computer at 9pm to record an expense
or organise your diary.”
The team behind GoRoadie have built
products used by millions of customers,
for brands like Amazon, Sony and the
Imperial War Museums. “Our background
is in building products that are easy to
use,” said Michael. “The team have over
30 years combined building secure
digital products.”
Giving back 8 hours each month
GoRoadie Pro, available now on iOS
and Android for both phones and tablets,
allows pupils to confirm attendance of
their next lesson, so you know it’s going
ahead (like checking into a flight). It will
automatically keep in touch with pupils
on your waiting list, so you don’t have to
(letting you know who’s still keen and
available) and seamlessly syncs with
your devices calendar.
The app can optionally track your
finances and allows you to take photos of
receipts to store digitally, meaning you
can skip the accountant and save at least
£100 a year. There is also a
complimentary pupil app available too
that is simple and easy to use.
The app has been independently
compared to existing apps on the market
and found to be around three times
‘‘
This looks like the best app out
there... it looks really good and
is very straightforward... other
apps are too confusing... I’ve
always wanted a digital diary
‘‘
faster when adding pupils and lessons.
“Time is important to instructors,
especially when they have so little free
time in this post-pandemic boom,”
Michael continued. “By offering lesson
check-in and keeping waiting lists fresh
automatically, GoRoadie Pro is aiming to
give instructors around 8 hours back
each month.”
MSA GB Integration
The aim of GoRoadie is to give ADIs
more time back and help them stay
connected with the wider industry. They
chose to partner with MSA GB to be one
of their official news sources meaning
instructors will get notifications to their
phone when there is any breaking
industry news.
MSA GB national chairman Peter
Harvey is enthusiastic about the tie-in.
“Having this integration with GoRoadie
Pro means that we will be able to push
immediate news straight to the phones of
ADIs right across the country,” he said.
“This will make critical news more
accessible than ever before. It also helps
MSA GB to improve our digital footprint
and expand our services.”
Instructors first
Go Roadie has been trialling the app
with over 200 instructors, tweaking and
improving it since an early pilot in April.
Darren Millar, a driving instructor from
Achieve Driving Tuition, was one of the
first to get involved and he too was
impressed. “This looks like the best app
out there so far. It looks really good and
very straightforward. I’ve had a look at the
other apps but they are too confusing. I
always wanted to have a digital diary.”
The team has built a library of
explainer videos and tutorials to ensure
instructors have all their questions
answered, and are always on hand to
pick up the phone.
How to get involved
GoRoadie Pro is completely free to
download from the App Store and Google
Play Store and available to use with a full
free month trial. After the trial period the
app will cost just £12 per month, with
no extra costs for texts and unlimited
pupil usage.
Special offer for MSA GB members
MSA GB Members will receive a
special price of just £10 per month for
their first year using discount code
MSAGB1 on top of their free month trial.
Get Started For FREE at:
https://www.goroadie.com/pro, or see
the advert on pg 25
22
NEWSLINK n AUGUST 2021

Comment
Facing a delivery crisis?
Perhaps ADIs can help
Rod Came
MSA South East
One thing that has always disappointed
me about the driver training industry is
the apparent lack of ambition of ADIs;
not all ADIs, but an awful lot of them.
This is not made as a criticism but as an
observation.
It seems like it is regarded as a
temporary job, a bit like being a taxi
driver, to fill in the time between
permanent employment. This is borne
out by the number of PDIs who apply to
start the qualification process when
redundancy comes their way. What
better way to spend your redundancy
money than to invest in training for a
lucrative occupation being driven around
the town by 17-year-olds!
But there are other opportunities in the
driver training field which are often
overlooked. Cars and motorcycles are not
the only vehicles that drivers/riders need
to be trained to operate correctly. A
glance at the back of a driving licence
shows that there are 21 categories of
vehicle for which a licence to use is
required. OK, I suppose there is not a lot
of call for pedestrian lawn mower
training, but there has to be for most of
the other categories.
For example, freight associations have
warned that Britain needs more truckers
to relieve a “chronic” shortage of drivers
that is hurting businesses across the
country, A suggestion of relaxing rules to
let drivers work longer hours is unlikely
to fix the problem, they have said, but is
to be introduced from July 12 to allow
for ‘slightly longer’ journeys. The recent
loss of foreign drivers has compounded
the problem, along with a lack of new
entrants to the industry due to lockdown.
Logistics UK and the Chartered
Institute of Logistics and Transport (CILT)
have written to the Government setting
out steps they say are needed to tackle
the 76,000-driver shortage that is
causing chaos in the supply chain.
I am now writing this in the second
week of July. Hardly a day has gone past
24
in the last couple of weeks when I have
not read stories about a shortage of
delivery drivers. A couple of months ago
it was estimated that this amounted to
53,000, but now reliable reports say the
figure exceeds 100,000 and that
supermarkets are running short of some
‘just in time’ supplies such as salad
items and fruit – can you believe that?
So where do ADIs fit into this
conundrum? Well, in the main they
don’t. ADIs are only qualified to teach in
a car or van up to 3,500kgs gross weight
– unless they have actually passed a full
driving test to drive another category of
vehicle. Some will have done this but are
probably so busy with their car learner
drivers that they cannot take on any
more training.
Commercial companies are crying out
for drivers of goods vehicles, but trainers
are in short supply due in some respect
to the test pass requirement. Some ADIs,
like myself, have passed in one category
but because of the rules cannot teach a
provisional licence holder in a similar but
different category despite holding a C1
and C1E category licence, ie, D1
minibus (4600kgs) licence holder but
cannot teach in a similar weight goods
vehicle. It begs the question, are
“One solution to the scarcity
of delivery drivers for the retail
sector is to allow ADIs to train
C1 provisional licence holders”
passengers less valuable than goods?
The odd thing is that although a
qualified instructor (ADI) holds a licence
to teach and has a driving licence
covering categories other than a car, they
cannot teach in those other categories,
but a person who holds the other
categories by having passed a driving
test in the past, but has no teaching
qualification, can ‘teach’ a provisional
licence holder in those categories.
In the current crisis, because that is
what it is when food cannot reach shops
to feed the populace and rubbish cannot
be cleared, a temporary relaxation of
accompanying driver rules could help to
relieve the pressure.
In short ADIs, who have proven
teaching skills and hold a C1 licence,
should be allowed to train C1 provisional
licence holders. This is a necessity to
help relieve a national crisis during which
we can do our bit.
It would also mean that current C1
drivers who aspire to heavy goods
licences (over 7500kgs), thus helping to
fill the enormous number of vacancies for
such drivers, would be able to do so.
Or is it that DVSA would not be able to
cope with an influx of vocational driving
licence tests?
NEWSLINK n AUGUST 2021

For all the latest news, see www.msagb.com
There’s a helping hand ready
for ADIs and PDIs
The panel at Helping ADI & PDIs have
been handing out grants to ADIs and PDIs
who have experienced financial difficulties
as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic.
The fund was established by ADIs
Bobbie Hicks and Susan McDonald last
November and has since seen over
£24,000 donated by ADI groups,
businesses operating in this sector and
individual ADIs who just wanted to help
out their fellow instructors.
Instructors who have received cash
grants from the fund have been quick to
praise the fund. One said: “OMG you guys,
it’s times like this that just breaks my
defences (tears pouring down). We are
really grateful for your sympathy and
generosity, I can’t believe, at times like
this, how many good people there are.
Thank you soooo much.”
Another said: “Thank you very much.
The money will be well received and
appreciated ... thanks to all involved in the
process, and the generous donations.”
To donate or to apply for a grant, see
https://instructorfund.org/
• The fund is also paying small cash
grants to ADIs who had been asked to
isolate by the Government’s Track and
Trace system. Go to https://instructorfund.
org for details. There is no need to
complete the full financial questions on the
application, simply state ‘Track and Trace’
in the area marked ‘Purpose’, complete the
bank and personal details and send in the
application.
Emails from Track and Trace must show
the name of the applicant and the dates of
isolation.
• You can still donate to the GoFundMe
Page by following either the link to our
website https://instructorfund.org/
or via the GoFundMe page at https://
gofund.me/67c82730
London e-scooter trial
gathers momentum
London’s trial of rental e-scooters
has been expanded to include three
new locations and approximately
600 new vehicles.
The 12-month trial is designed
to help shape future policy on
e-scooters. It is being managed by
TfL and London Councils – and
operated by Dott, Lime and TIER.
Ealing, Hammersmith and
Fulham, Kensington and Chelsea
and Richmond upon Thames and
Canary Wharf were the initial
boroughs taking part, with Tower
Hamlets acting as a ‘ride-through’
area, which users may travel through
but not start or end e-scooter rides.
But now the central linchpin
borough of the City of London and
northern parts of Lambeth have
joined the scheme – while Southwark
has become the second ride-through
location.
The additional boroughs takes the
number of vehicles involved from
600 to 1,200 and they will now be
available at even more inner and
central London destinations.
NEWSLINK n AUGUST 2021
25

Towards your CPD
Looking to advance?
Don’t forget to check
out your own driving
When you look to boost your
CPD, don’t overlook the need
to keep your own driving up
to scratch, says Steve Garrod
A fellow ADI recently rang to ask my
advice about which courses he could
study as part of his CPD. He suggested a
number of ideas, some of which would
involve dedicating significant time for
study at considerable expense.
My response, as it generally is when
asked such questions, was to ask what
interests him and what does he hope to
achieve by gaining an additional
qualification (for example, another area
of teaching or business). He said he
wanted to know more about teaching
advanced driving and asked what I
thought about teaching a qualified driver
advanced driving for his Standards
Check, and what subjects to teach. I
asked when did he last have his driving
checked and he admitted it was when he
passed his Part 2 about seven years ago.
I have heard it said that ‘it is the
obvious we forget’, but as ADIs, it is easy
to fall into the trap of looking for
something new to learn but often miss
the opportunity to improve an existing
skill.
I suggested that if he took an advanced
test, he may be in a better position to
identify some key areas for development
and some ideas for future lessons, eg,
how to read bends, plan overtakes in
good time or join and leave motorways.
Unless you are fortunate to live in an
area blessed with these types of roads,
those of us living in urban areas could
find our own driving becomes stale,
which could affect our ability to teach
certain subjects.
Many ADIs’ driving consists of
commuting to and from lessons with
little or no time to reflect on their own
performance. This is the same for many
drivers too; they generally stick to the
same types of roads and routes and
become complacent, subsequently
picking up speeding tickets or parking
fines. In addition, having regular checks
helps us understand the way our pupils
are feeling when they are learning and
preparing for their own test. Most ADIs
feel that all drivers should have their
driving regularly checked, but few take
the lead and have theirs checked.
The reason I feel we, as industry
professionals, should take an advanced
test every couple of years, is because it is
the test preparation that re-focuses our
minds as much, if not more than, the
test itself. I also think it is difficult to
identify faults in our students’
performance if they display similar faults
that we have while we are driving.
For example, when I was training to be
26
NEWSLINK n AUGUST 2021

an examiner at Cardington many years
ago, I picked up marks for emerging too
early from side roads and driving a bit
too close to stationary vehicles
(shaving). Although neither fault was
deemed as serious, it was put down to
the fact that I was used to driving in
London and therefore felt I was leaving
sufficient room when carrying out both
manoeuvres.
I remember my instructor asking me
“What was the hurry? Was there anyone
behind the car approaching the
junction?” I recall thinking “I don’t
know!” I realised then that I had
probably been encouraging my own
learners to emerge into the types of gaps
I was emerging and probably not
noticing them ‘shaving’ other vehicles
unless they really did get too close.
In other words, we have blind spots
that we need pointing out by another
professional.
So, having taken this trip down
memory lane with my caller, he
admitted that he felt his driving could do
with a bit of tidying up and that he
wasn’t too confident driving on rural
roads.
I appreciate being a good driver
doesn’t necessarily make us better
instructors, but being aware of our own
faults means we are less likely to miss
similar faults when they displayed by
our students. Being able to give a
competent and confident demonstration
drive could be the difference between
being accepted for a fleet driver training
position, or not.
A friend of mine has just applied to
become a driving examiner and is
worried about her commentary driving,
so she has identified an area for her
development, but may find out more
once her driving is assessed.
The important thing to remember is
our driving is always on show, with or
without a student in the car. If the car is
‘‘
The reason we should take an
advanced test every couple
of years is because the test
preparation re-focuses our
minds as much, if not more,
than the test itself....
‘‘
sign written it would not look good if
certain aspects of our driving is not up
to standard. You could always claim, as
a former colleague mine used to, that it
is your day off and that you are driving
like everyone else, but I am sure that
you, like me, notice other drivers
approach bends too quickly,
subsequently braking when they should
be accelerating, or becoming boxed in
behind larger vehicles on motorways
instead of planning earlier for an
overtake.
So, my caller has agreed to have his
driving assessed with a view to taking a
test later this summer.
If you are thinking of affordable CPD it
might be worth looking at taking an
advanced test. Finding a trainer should
be straight forward but please ask them
when they last had their driving
assessed.
I’ll leave the final word this month to
a former pupil of mine. He was a trainee
pilot but hadn’t passed his driving test.
He told me the he felt safer in the air
because, “When you fly you know
everyone else in the air is a professional,
but when you drive you are surrounded
by amateurs”.
With that in mind it makes sense to
ensure we remain professional by having
our skills regularly checked and
encouraging others to do the same.
High VR pass
rates are reality
A pioneering virtual reality (VR)-based
driving instructor training course has
delivered exceptional results says BSM.
Recent results show that the pass
rate for BSM’s driving instructor
trainees is now more than 35 per cent
higher than the DVSA national average
on the Part 1 Theory, and this trend
continues on Part 2 and Part 3 exams,
with BSM trainees recording 15 per
cent higher pass rates than the national
average.
BSM’s virtual reality (VR) instructor
training course was launched in 2020
and offers safe, socially-distant learning
during the pandemic. The course
blends quality in-car training with VR
headset experience in a classroom
environment.
Mark Born, BSM’s Instructor Training
Manager said: “We are so happy with
our pass rates for trainees on the virtual
reality course.
“Our ability to support trainees with
online courses and VR when no in-car
practice could take place has boosted
what could have been a difficult period
with under-prepared trainees turning up
for tests.
“We hope this encourages more
instructors to train with us and take
advantage of our unique VR training.”
Many trainees have passed all three
qualifying tests the first time and others
have been supported in their further
attempts using the unique VR training
and online support.
Kim Gibson, former BSM VR pupil
who recently passed her Part 3 test
said: “I signed up with BSM in August,
passing my Part 2 in September and
attending a VR course in October.
“The staff were so supportive and
within a month of lockdown being
eased, I passed my Part 3 first time. I
definitely recommend the VR course to
anyone considering becoming an ADI.”
Her comments were echoed by Keith
Taylor, a BSM VR instructor training
pupil from Devon, who said he found
the Zoom training sessions “engaging
and supportive.
“The online instructors engage and
involve all participants and learning has
certainly occurred. This helped me stay
motivated and set me up for the return
to face-to-face contact and delivery of
driving lessons.”
NEWSLINK n AUGUST 2021 27

Special feature
Mental health
and how it can
impact on your
driving status
There is a growing understanding
that good mental health is just as
important as good physical health
– but how does your mental state
impact on driving? Guy Annan
takes a look at some of the key
points to consider
It’s important to recognise when we, or
others, may be suffering from any kind of
mental health issues.
At some stage most of us will have
experienced issues with our mental
well-being to some degree. It will come
as no surprise to many of us that the
number of people experiencing mental
health issues has increased over the
months of lockdown.
Some will be in denial about their
mental health and their capacity to drive
safely under the circumstances. These
issues can be complex and require expert
intervention. However, those who seek
medical intervention are often concerned
about the status of their licence should a
Doctor or Mental Health Practitioner
deem their condition to be a risk to
themselves and others.
As an association with responsibilities
for the safety and wellbeing of members
and those we train, we must be aware
and alert to any changes in someone’s
behaviour, attitude or physical condition.
This include our colleagues or trainees
who may not yet have recognised this in
themselves.
So, what follows is a summary of
various scenarios and suggested actions.
Overview
• Having a mental illness does not
always mean you cannot drive safely, but
some drivers need to take extra care or
may become too unwell to drive.
• If you have certain illnesses you
must tell the DVLA, which will use the
information you give them to decide if
you should keep your licence.
• They may ask you to have a medical
examination or a driving assessment.
• Sometimes they can give you a
licence that is valid for one to five years.
• Sometimes they will take your licence
away (‘revoke’ it). You can appeal.
• If your doctor says you are not fit to
drive, you can give up your licence. This
is also known as ‘surrendering’ your
licence. You can reapply for it when your
condition has improved.
• If you continue to drive when your
doctor says you shouldn’t, you could be
charged with an offence.
• If you receive some benefits you may
be entitled to a Blue Badge.
• You may be entitled to car tax
exemption.
Informing the DVLA: When do I have to
tell the DVLA about my mental health
condition?
If you have, or think you may have,
certain illnesses you must tell the DVLA.
And you must let them know if your
illness has got worse since you got your
driving licence. You must tell the DVLA if
you have any of the mental health
conditions below, and you are going to
drive: Bipolar disorder; Schizoaffective
disorder; Paranoid schizophrenia;
Psychosis; Psychotic depression; and
Schizophrenia
You must also tell the DVLA if you
have any of the mental health conditions
below and they affect your ability to drive
safely. Things that might affect your
ability to drive safely include suicidal
thoughts, poor concentration and feeling
agitated or irritable a lot of the time.
28
NEWSLINK n AUGUST 2021

For all the latest news, see www.msagb.com
If you are not sure if your illness affects
your ability to drive you must speak to
your doctor if you suffer from anxiety;
eating disorders; depression; obsessive
compulsive disorder; personality disorder;
or a post-traumatic stress disorder.
Guidance can be found at: www.gov.
uk/health-conditions-and-driving
You must tell the DVLA if you have any
of these conditions when you are
applying for your first licence, or if you
are over 70 and renewing your licence.
If you already have a licence, you
should tell the DVLA right away and not
wait for the renewal date.
Who else should I talk to about my
mental illness and driving?
Your doctor
If you have been diagnosed with a
mental illness, tell your doctor to see if
they think it will cause a problem with
driving. If your doctor thinks you should
stop driving but you refuse, they have a
duty to tell the DVLA – even if you do not
agree with this.
Your insurance company
Your insurance cover could be affected
if you drive and have not told the DVLA
about your condition, or if your doctor
tells you not to drive. You should check
your policy to see what it says.
Your family and friends
You might find it useful to speak to
your friends and family about how your
illness affects your ability to drive safely.
Ask them for their help, such as to look
after your vehicle, or vehicle keys, when
you are poorly. This can help you to
avoid driving when you are unwell.
Medication and driving: Will my
medication affect my ability to drive?
Some prescription drugs are classed as
‘controlled drugs’. If you drive, and have
above a certain limit of these drugs in
your blood, you can be found guilty of an
offence. You can be found guilty even if
the drugs were not affecting your driving.
If you have been prescribed, or are
using, any of the drugs in the list below
you should speak to your doctor about
how they will affect your driving.
• Some benzodiazepines: Diazepam,
Lorazepam, Temazepam, Clonazepam,
Oxazepam and Flunitrazepam
• Some painkillers: Morphine,
Diamorphine, Tramadol and Ketamine
• Methadone
• Amphetamine
• Cannabis
• Cocaine
You can drive after taking these drugs
if:
• you’ve been prescribed them and
followed advice on how to take them by
a healthcare professional, and
• they aren’t causing you to be unfit to
drive even if you’re above the specified
limits.
Are there other medications that might
affect my driving?
It is illegal to drive when unfit because
of drugs. This includes prescription
medication. If you drive when your
medication makes this unsafe, the police
could charge you with a driving offence.
Some medications can affect your
alertness and concentration. This can
affect how you drive. You may notice this
more at the start of treatment or after
increasing the dose. If your medication
has a big effect on you, it is important to
stop driving during this time.
Different medications may affect your
driving in different ways. You should
always talk to your doctor, or pharmacist,
about how your medication might affect
your driving.
How do I tell the DVLA?
Complete a medical questionnaire at
www.gov.uk/health-conditions-anddriving
by searching for your condition.
Giving up my licence: When would I
give up my driving licence?
If your doctor has told you that you are
not fit to drive, you can by ‘surrendering’
your licence. If you do this, the DVLA
does not need to assess your fitness to
drive. In some situations, it may make it
easier for you to get your licence back in
the future if you surrender it.
If you surrender your licence, you can
reapply for it when your doctor thinks
your condition has improved. In this
case, you can drive again as soon as the
DVLA gets your application.
Download the ‘Declaration of Voluntary
Surrender’ from www.gov.uk/giving-upyour-driving-licence.
Or you can ask the
DVLA to send you a copy of this form.
What happens after I tell the DVLA?
If you give the DVLA full information,
they should decide within six weeks
whether you can continue to drive or not.
They will write to you if it is going to take
longer.
You can keep driving while DVLA are
considering your application as long as
you are safe to drive. If you have any
concerns, then you should contact your
doctor or the DVLA for further advice. If
you have any doubts about driving you
should not drive.
The DVLA can either:
• let you keep your licence or give you
a new one,
• give you a licence that is valid for 1,
2,3 or 5 years, or
• take away your licence (‘revoking’
your licence).
The DVLA will revoke your licence if
they think that you are not fit to drive at
the moment. This doesn’t mean that you
will never be able to drive again. They
will give you advice on when you can
reapply.
How does the DVLA decide if I’m unfit
to drive?
The medical standards the DVLA use
will be different depending on what type
of vehicle you want to drive. The
standards are higher for larger vehicles.
The DVLA will decide based on how your
symptoms affect your driving.
You can speak to your doctor about
how the DVLA will assess you. Or you
can look at the DVLA guidance for
medical professionals, at www.gov.uk/
government/publications/assessingfitness-to-drive-a-guide-for-medicalprofessionals#history
What happens if I don’t tell the DVLA?
If you don’t tell DVLA about a medical
condition that affects your driving, you
could be fined up to £1,000. You may
be prosecuted if you’re involved in an
accident as a result.
How can I challenge a decision?
If you disagree with your doctor
You can ask for a second opinion about
your fitness to drive. You can also have
your driving assessed in a confidential
and objective test from organisations like
Somerset Road Safety or The Advanced
Drivers Association-Somerset (ADAS).
If you disagree with the DVLA
If the DVLA says you are not fit to drive
and you don’t agree, you can challenge
this. It is best to try to resolve the issue
without going to court, but you can
appeal to your local magistrates’ court
within six months of the DVLA’s decision.
This can be expensive and time consuming,
and you may not be successful.
Citizens Advice
They give free, confidential and
independent advice on many different
issues and areas of law. You can find
your local office on their website at
www.citizensadvice.org.uk
NEWSLINK n AUGUST 2021
29

Regional News
Media should be taken to task over
language it uses around motoring
John Lomas
Editor, MSA GB North West
What can be done about the way the
media reports road traffic incidents? It
isn’t just new reports that use such
phrases as ‘Fast Lane’ and ‘Right of
Way’.
I have also heard those comments
used by serving police and other
emergency service personnel.
I have recently been watching the
latest series of Close Calls on BBC TV
and there have been a number of these
bloomers used by the presenter.
One incident involved a vehicle
crossing straight over a crossroads
against the Give Way markings, which
was then T-boned by a vehicle travelling
on the road without Give Way signs. The
presenter clearly reported that the driver
had ‘Right of Way’. However, we know
that he may have had ‘priority’ but that
does not mean he did not have to watch
out for vehicles that might cross his path.
Another incident took place on an unlit
section of the M61 that’s local to me. It
involved a vehicle travelling north
approaching junction 9, which is a lane
drop junction. A vehicle was already
within the lane drop section, travelling
north to continue towards Preston, while
a vehicle some distance ahead began
braking, not a flash of brake lights, but
continuous braking. The following vehicle
slowed down and moved to the third
lane where it ploughed into a stationary
dark-coloured car positioned across that
lane.
What did the presenter say?
He said that the driver had moved into
the ‘Fast Lane’. I am sure that your
response would have been to brake until
you could find out the reason for the
other driver’s braking. I’m sure you
certainly wouldn’t have changed lanes
and continue at 65mph, which was the
reported speed of the impact.
So what can be done to encourage
correct language usage in such
programmes?
I thought of emailing the programme
but couldn’t find any such link and that
would only get the message to one
source. Suggestions please!
Masks or not
By the time you are reading this there
may have been some directions from
DVSA, or perhaps they will be
suggestions, recommendations or rules
on the wearing of masks on lessons.
Of course it is the use of different
words, which have different meanings,
which has caused so much of the
confusion over the past 18 months;
primarily because 1,000 people have
1,000 opinions on what they mean.
Hopefully I will soon be able to get a
drive with someone to check that I am
able to perform safely with what is
basically monocular vision.
Rainbow crossings
A few months ago I told you about a
new pedestrian crossing near my house
which had rainbow colours and shapes
crossing the road and overlaid on the
traditional Black and White markings.
At the time I wasn’t aware of its
meaning and postulated it was to do
with the rainbow support campaign for
the NHS.
I have since found out that there are
many such crossings around the world
installed to show solidarity with the
LGBTQ+ community.
What I have seen, doing a Google
images search, is that there are many
different designs many with the Black &
White markings totally removed.
I have to wonder if the ‘Loophole Larry’
lawyers are going to have a field day
when one of their clients is charged with
a serious driving offence taking place
within the crossing area.
I still haven’t found out what the
purple, downward facing ‘lights’ are for.
A pricey break
My attention was drawn recently to a
story in the local media reporting on a
number of people who had not selfisolated
on return from holidays abroad.
During October 2020, despite the
need to self-isolate on return from certain
countries, many were still taking holidays
abroad. It would appear that some
individuals had decided not to follow the
isolation rules.
Among the people listed as having
been fined was a driving instructor from
Blackburn.
On October 21, police received a call
from a member of the public that the
instructor had returned from a trip to
Turkey and had continued to work. They
had been seen removing the advertising
from their car. The caller also reported
they had not been wearing a face mask.
The end result was the instructor was
ordered to pay a total of £2,026,
comprising a fine of £1,760, costs of
£90 and a £176 victim surcharge.
Quite an expensive holiday and one
wonders if the ADI Registrar will be
showing an interest.
CONTACT
The
rainbow
crossing I
reported on
in the
March
issue
To comment on this article, or provide
updates, contact John at
johnstardriving@hotmail.com
30
NEWSLINK n AUGUST 2021

For all the latest news, see www.msagb.com
Blood bikers are the unsung
heroes of the NHS
Guy Annan
MSA GB Western
I thought I’d use this issue to bring your
attention to the work of the Freewheelers
Emergency Voluntary Service.
I’d describe this service as one of the
unsung heroes of the NHS. It has, for the
past 30 years, supported the NHS across
Bristol, Bath, Taunton, Somerset and
Wiltshire, transporting vital items such as
organs and blood to support the health
service.
It costs about £110,000 a year to run
the Freewheelers, of which £45,000 is
spent buying and kitting out two new
motorcycles to replace those that the
charity has worn out. Most of the other
costs go on petrol, servicing and
operational costs.They do a great job
and I’ve decided to make my charity for
the coming year the Freewheelers and I
recently made a donation of £250.
The riders are all volunteers, and
include one of my driving instructors.
Grzegorz Lepszy (Greg) decided to
become a volunteer after having been a
recipient of a kidney transplant and
wanted to give something back to pay off
his debt. With his love of motorcycles
and his joy of riding, he put the two
together.
It’s no formality to ride for the service.
Greg, who was already an advanced
driver, had to become an advanced rider
and to attain a minimum of a Silver
grade to be accepted. He attained this
through Devon and Somerset Advanced
Riders (DSAR). Greg then applied to
Freewheelers and went through a
rigorous interviewing process before
having to attend meetings to learn about
the handling of hazardous materials and
hygiene and safety. A nine-month
probationary period then followed.
Riding or taking part with Freewheelers
is totally voluntary and reliant upon
public donations. Some families or
charities have bought complete bikes,
others have donated what they could to
such a good cause.
All the bikes have names and behind
the name is the story of someone who
benefited or perhaps, sadly, died but who
relied on the selfless volunteer who gave
their time riding all hours of the night
and day in all weathers. They are on call
out of hours, including weekends and
bank holidays.
The bike themselves are workhorses,
covering an average of 18,000 miles a
year and include the BMW RT1200
Police spec, Hondas, Yamaha FJR1300,
BMW F800.There are 20 bikes in total,
all equipped with cameras recording all
the time.If the weather is too bad for a
motorcycle then the volunteer can
choose to use their own car and they
would display a notice to say they were a
blood biker on call.In an emergency they
are allowed to use blue lights when
authorised by the co-ordinator, however
they are not exempt from certain rules of
the road just like the other emergency
services. They’re careful about using blue
lights on the motorway, which can be
pointless when you have other vehicles
overtaking you, and they’re also always
aware that the blue lights can encourage
someone in front to do something silly.
There are three types of jobs that they
get issued with: non-urgent deliveries,
urgent and emergency. The latter would
include taking extra blood to the scene of
an incident if the ambulance or air
ambulance has exhausted its supply.
They carry an extraordinary
responsibility and can be delivering
anything from the more mundane, such
as patient records, samples for testing
and surgical tools through to the more
dramatic, such as vital organs for
transplant, spinal fluid and bone marrow.
As you can imagine some of their
deliveries are highly time sensitive,
making the difference between life and
death.
Dorset and Somerset Air Ambulance,
which is based at Henstridge on the
border between the two counties,
receives a fresh supply of blood twice a
day from Freewheelers.
Well done to all who provide a
worthwhile service either behind the
scenes or on the front line.
Guy presents his donation
to Freewheelers. ‘I’ve
decided to make
Freewheelers my charity for
the coming year... they do
a brilliant job and rely
entirely on volunteers and
public donations’
CONTACT
To comment on this article, or provide
updates, contact Guy at g.annan@
alphadrivingtaunton.com
NEWSLINK n AUGUST 2021
31

Regional News
Hot days pose a striking risk to drivers
Mike Yeomans
MSA GB North East
The good weather effects so many
aspects of the daily drive.
During last month’s fantastic weather,
how did you cope? Great with airconditioning,
not so great with windows
open to meet the recent Covid-19
guidance. With the heat and the new
weather warnings of ‘extreme heat’ from
the Met Office, it made me start to
observe other drivers and their
passengers while on my driving lessons.
First, the number of driving instructors
without masks since July 19 has
surprised me, despite the guidance given
by the DVSA. In addition, the number of
students driving without masks even
though their ADI trainer was wearing a
mask, also surprised me. (Maybe it was
because of the heat?) It will be telling if
more ADIs must self-isolate as a result,
but it’s still a free country and perhaps
its not my place to judge.
Where I travel on my assessments,
mock tests and lessons I pass through a
number of small villages where many
visitors enjoy picnics. I have noticed an
increase in animals travelling in cars (not
driving them, of course!) but dogs with
their heads out of the passenger
windows, plus at some of the shops
seeing dogs left in vehicles which, even
with windows open, is not good in this
heat. I wondered if this was a result of
post-lockdown, where owners are more
inclined to take their dogs with them
rather than leave them at home.
I own a small dog and with the current
heat I have been mindful to only take the
dog for a walk early or later in the day
when the pavements are cooler, as they
can blister paws during the heat of the
day.
32
One thing leads to another, and the
sight of the dogs with their heads out of
a window led to a question: is it against
the law to put my dog in the car without
a restraint? My research showed that it is
legal to take your pet in the car with you,
so long as you properly restrain them.
You shouldn’t let them sit in the front
seats or, interestingly, let them stick their
head out of the window. Rule 57 of the
Highway Code states: “When in a
vehicle make sure dogs or other animals
are suitably restrained so they cannot
distract you while you are driving or
injure you, or themselves if you stop
quickly. A seat belt harness, pet carrier,
dog cage or dog guard are ways of
restraining animals in cars.”
It’s not a legal requirement set out in
legislation and there’s no direct penalty
for breaking the Highway Code. However,
you could still be pulled over for ‘driving
without due care and attention’, which
as you know comes with three to nine
points on your licence. It could also be
used as evidence against you if you were
to be involved in a traffic incident.
It could be a serious issue. According
to the Go Compare insurance site, if your
pet is found to have caused or
contributed to an accident, your car
Great news: We’ve got a face-to-face meeting!
MSA GB North East has some exciting news: our first face-to-face meeting since
Covid-19 arose in March 2020.
We will be at the Gomersal Park Hotel, Gomersal BD19 4LJ, on Thursday,
September 9, starting at 6.45pm until 9.15pm. We have a superb speaker from
the DVSA in John Sheridan, supported we hope by a local DVSA representative as
well as road safety expert Graham Feest.
It’s just £5 to join us; you can pay on the night but we’d appreciate it if you could
let us know beforehand if you’re coming so we can arrange the room safely and
supply refreshments. Book in advance via info@msagb.com or ring 01625
664501 to secure a place.
Is it illegal
for a dog to
ride with its
head out of
the window?
insurance could be invalid, as well as
any pet insurance. You could also face a
fine of up to £5,000 if you’re taken to
court, as well as points on your licence.
So, from hot days to observing my
fellow road users on hot days, there are
some lessons to remember. Many road
incidents have been caused by
dehydrated drivers, especially on long
journeys or after spending more time in a
vehicle, which we are all experiencing at
the moment helping to get more drivers
ready to take the road and driving tests.
Driving in a stuffy car on a hot summer’s
day can cause you to lose significant
amounts of water. Being dehydrated
affects your concentration levels and
co-ordination.
The impact of dehydration of driving
can be alarming:
• Loss of focus.
• Feeling drowsy.
• Dry mouth.
• Feeling dizzy or light-headed.
• Slower reaction times.
• Muscle cramps.
This message should be put across at
the beginning of a lesson.
When motorists were put through a
series of tests on a driving simulator by
scientists at Loughborough University to
assess the effects of mild dehydration on
reaction time and performance, the
results were startling. They made twice
as many driving errors when dehydrated
as they did while hydrated. Concentration
and alertness were significantly reduced,
causing errors such as drifting out of lane
and braking too early or too late.
I have been offering small bottles of
water to my students before and after
each lesson, most are now bringing their
own bottles to a lesson.
NEWSLINK n AUGUST 2021

For all the latest news, see www.msagb.com
Race to secure a test slot is making
forward planning impossible
Terry Pearce
MSA GB West Midlands
I have been planning for some time to
retire in November 2022. This is when
my current ADI badge runs out and also
when my driving school car contract
ends. It also gives me time to get my
grandniece and grandnephew through
their driving tests.
I had a logical timetable planned to
ensure that they would pass before I
retire, along with any other pupils I have,
but that has now turned on its head.
Before you get to the five months’ wait
for a driving test there is a significant
wait to get a theory test, so if they fail
either of them it could take a
considerable time to pass.
The result is that we now have a mad
panic going on to find cancellation slots.
I cannot say that I like the idea of
companies making money out of a
learner’s desperation to get a driving test
cancellation, but if candidates do not
have the time to constantly check
themselves, it obviously works. If you
Google ‘driving test cancellations’ it is
surprising how many companies are
offering the service.
The main problem is that you have to
get an initial test booking before you can
even think about looking for a
cancellation. I was told that one national
school advises their pupils to book a test
at any centre that has vacancies, no
matter where in the country it is, as the
test centre can be changed if a suitable
cancellation is found. The point is once
you’ve got a test slot, you are in the
system. This means that there are lots of
test slots booked that will never be used
by the initial owner and they will only
come back on to the market when they
are changed for a more suitable
cancellation.
It reminds me of when the theory test
first started. Candidates started to book a
driving test date to beat the start of the
theory test, which in turn increased the
waiting time.
Realising the waiting time was
growing, more tests were booked until, if
my memory serves me correctly, we had
a five-month waiting list.
As I write this, we are now booking
driving tests into the start of 2022.
Madness!
CONTACT
To comment on this article, or provide
updates from your area, contact
Terry at terry@terrypearce.co.uk
Worrying ADI
car-jack is a
reminder to
stay alert to
other dangers
The picture (right) may not look too
dramatic, but the wall that you can see
outside the house was demolished as a
result of a collision involving a driving
school car, writes Terry Pearce.
This wasn’t a ‘normal’ traffic incident,
however: rather, the car had been
hijacked by a group of men armed with a
knife. According to local newspaper
Coventry News, the driving instructor
was giving a lesson to a learner when
they were threatened with a knife and
told to hand over the car.
Both instructor and learner received
minor injuries after the incident.
Before this incident a spokesman for
West Midlands Police had told the media
that they were “investigating a series of
incidents around the Wood End area of
Coventry at 4.30pm, June 28.”
A 13-year-old suffered a fractured
shoulder and wrist and remains in hospital
after being attacked by a group of men.
The men fled in a stolen black Ford Fiesta
and crashed, colliding with a 16-year-old
boy on the pavement. The boy sustained
minor injuries. The men then left the
scene in a different car that they carjacked
at the location, a silver Ford Fiesta, which
was the driving school car.
It is believed there were between four to
six male suspects, all described as black
and wearing dark clothing with hoods up
and Covid masks covering their faces.
Luckily, car-jacking incidents such as this
are rare, but it is a reminder to be vigilant
and keep our cars secure. I am not sure if
all car manufacturers offer automatic door
locking when you drive away but it is
certainly one safety feature I always use.
NEWSLINK n AUGUST 2021
33

Motoring
Ford delivers
clean, green
options that
lead the way
Ford is developing a range of new
vehicles as it looks to deliver 16
electrified vehicles by the end of 2021.
Ideal for ADIs is the Focus Mild
Hybrid, which delivers a rewarding blend
of precise handling, remarkable fuel
economy power and efficiency.
And now, to help reduce emissions
while improving power and efficiency
even further, it’s available with an
advanced EcoBoost Hybrid powertrain.
The EcoBoost Hybrid boosts power,
maximises efficiency and minimises
emissions, while a sculpted exterior
creates an athletic shape that cuts
through the air with ease, improving
efficiency even further.
It’s technology that’s so effortless and
useful, you’ll wonder how you ever did
without it.
The Focus EcoBoost Hybrid uses an
electric motor with a 48-volt battery to
support its petrol engine. Instead of
driving solely on electric power, the
electric motor provides torque assistance
to the engine, delivering extra power
equivalent to 16 PS, up to 20 per cent
better acceleration.
It also uses regenerative braking
technology, which charges the mild
hybrid’s battery by capturing energy
that’s usually lost when you slow down.
This helps increase your fuel economy
and reduce emissions.
Available on Puma and Fiesta 1.0-litre
EcoBoost Hybrid, the seven-speed
automatic can make driving less
demanding – particularly in city driving
and stop-start traffic. In addition, fast,
seamless gearchanges complement the
hybrid powertrain’s electrically-boosted
performance to further enhance the fun
to drive experience.
Puma EcoBoost Hybrid and Fiesta
EcoBoost Hybrid seven-speed automatic
models are anticipated to improve CO 2
emissions by up to more than 5 per cent
compared with the 1.0-litre EcoBoost
petrol equivalents (WLTP).
Ford’s EcoBoost Hybrid technology
uses a belt-driven integrated starter/
generator (BISG) to recover energy
Ford’s latest all-electric car, the
Mustang Mach-E, has set a new
Guinness World Record after
demonstrating its ultra-efficiency on a
run from John O’Groats and Land’s
End.
The Ford Mustang Mach-E travelled
over 6.5 miles per kilowatt hour (kWh)
of electrical energy. With 88kWh of
available battery capacity, that means
the Mustang had a range of well over
500 miles of range, adding more than
120 miles to Mustang Mach-E’s official
usually lost during braking and coasting
and charge a 48‐volt lithium-ion battery
pack. The BISG also acts as a motor,
integrating with the engine to provide
torque assistance that can enhance fuel
efficiency or performance, depending on
the driving scenario.
An on-board trip computer shows you
the essential facts like mileage, fuel
consumption, speed and the outside air
temperature. It also includes ‘distance to
empty’: roughly how far you can go on
the fuel left in the tank. This is
particularly useful on long journeys, or if
you know you’re driving somewhere
remote.
With the FordPass app on your
smartphone, you can receive health
alerts for specific parts of your vehicle
too. Like if a tyre is getting low, or your
oil needs changing.
Conventional power
For those not looking to switch to
electric motoring just yet, the
development of the 1.0 litre Ford
EcoBoost 3-cylinder petrol engine gives
you all the power you’d expect from a
much larger engine. Ford EcoBoost
379-mile range – and trebling the
miles per kWh target set by Guinness
World Records for this new electric
vehicle record.
The record-breaking performance on
Britain’s most lengthy journey
necessitated stopping for under 45
minutes of charging.
Leaving John O’Groats on full
charge, the 840 miles to Land’s End
required only two main charging stops
at Wigan, Lancashire, and Cullompton,
Devon.
technology delivers performance that’s
smooth, responsive and rewarding. To be
even more efficient, the engine features
cylinder deactivation. This shuts off a
cylinder when torque demand is low,
such as on a motorway. When torque
demand increases, the cylinder springs
back to life to give you the power you
need.
A new standard for diesel engines
Finally, for those ADIs looking to stay
with diesel engines, Ford has improved
its 1.5 and 2.0-litre Ford EcoBlue diesel
power units.
The latest versions are highly
advanced, turbo-charged engines that
deliver measurably improved efficiency,
performance and refinement. These new
engines can improve fuel efficiency, are
more responsive and are also quieter
than ever before.
They’ll also be available with AdBlue®
, a urea/water-based fluid that converts
NOx emissions in the exhaust gas into
nitrogen and water.
A particulate filter then reduces more
than 99 per cent of emitted solid
particulates from the vehicle’s exhaust.
34
NEWSLINK n AUGUST 2021

Q & A... with Karyn Cunningham
I’m always looking to learn... and I learnt
that pigeons sometimes refuse to budge!
Dog-loving Marvel fan Karyn
Cunningham, a BSM Solo
instructor, is the latest ADI to
come under the Newslink
Q & A spotlight...
When did you become an ADI, and
what made you enter the profession?
I qualified in 2019. My sister also
trained and qualified as an ADI with the
AA. I saw how she was able to fit work
around her family commitments. I had
worked in an office for 30 years and
wanted that same freedom.
What’s the best bit about the job?
I love the work life balance to be there
for my family and my two dogs. I have a
BSM solo franchise. This means I lease
the car, still have the full back office
support but I run my business, ‘TK Pass’,
to suit me.
And the worst?
Sometimes the unrealistic expectations
of learners and their families, particularly
post-COVID. Demand for lessons is very
high at the moment. But to provide the
same high standard of service to
everyone means learning to say no!
What’s the best piece of training advice
you were ever given?
During my training with BSM I received
lots of useful tips and advice. One phrase
in particular stuck with me, and I use
regularly with my learners, especially
when they are struggling with something,
is “practice makes permanent.”
What one piece of kit, other than your
car and phone, could you not do without?
The USB cable to charge my phone!
What needs fixing most urgently in
driving generally?
Other drivers’ attitudes towards
learners. Some of the aggressive
behaviour my learners have to witness
can be very intimidating. These drivers
need to understand their actions have
consequences.
What should the DVSA focus on?
At the moment their hands are full
trying to reduce waiting times for
practical tests, but more focus needs to
be on challenging third party companies
who are taking valuable slots and then
charging a much higher rate to learners
who are not test standard or may not
even have an instructor.
What’s the next big thing that’s going to
transform driver training/testing?
The increasing market in electric/hybrid
cars and the potential change to
automatic transmissions and the loss of
gears.
The technology in vehicles is ever
evolving and at the very least will need
reflecting in revised Show me/ Tell me
questions in future L-tests.
Electric cars – yes or no? And why?
Karyn with Max and Spencer...
with no pigeons in sight
Yes, because regardless of preference,
they are going to be here if the
government pushes forward with its
plans to ban petrol and diesel motors.
How can we improve driver testing/
training in one move?
By making it a requirement that all
learners have a minimum number of
hours with a qualified instructor prior to
taking their test. This would potentially
increase the pass rate, reduce wasted
test slots and increase availability for test
standard drivers.
Who/what inspires you, drives you on?
My family. Everything I do is to benefit
my daughter. My partner has 100%
confidence in me. That support has
always been unwavering and has helped
36
NEWSLINK n AUGUST 2021

For all the latest news, see www.msagb.com
‘‘
The next big thing? The
increasing market in electric/
hybrid cars and potential
change to auto transmissions
and the loss of gears...
‘‘
me believe in myself and what I can achieve.
What keeps you awake at night?
Usually, not a lot! Like many others, I
had sleepless nights during the uncertainty
of the pandemic. But I never once regretted
making that initial contact with BSM to
change career.
No one is the finished article. What do
you do to keep on top of the game?
I’m a bit of a nerd. I actually love
learning! I’m very lucky because I still have
links with BSM through my solo franchise,
and that means I can utilise the training
forums they provide and I receive regular
updates about changes in law or best
practice. I talk a lot to my peers in the
driving instructor community; there’s a
wealth of knowledge and experience out
there that is always going to be invaluable.
What’s the daftest /most dangerous thing
that’s ever happened to you while
teaching?
While teaching a parallel park I asked
my learner to pull up on the left. I asked
him to stop where a pigeon happened to
be standing on the roadside. As we got
closer the pigeon didn’t fly off as expected,
instead it ruffled its feathers and started
marching (yes, marching) towards the car.
My learner hesitated but kept creeping
forwards waiting for it to fly away… but it
didn’t! In the end it was my learner that
blinked first and stopped the car, too
scared he was going to squash it.
The pigeon won the game of chicken and
I never let my learner forget it!
When or where are you happiest?
I’m always happy when I can disappear
into the countryside with my two Jack
Russells, Max and Spencer, for a long
ramble, whatever the weather.
If you had to pick one book/film/album
that inspires, entertains or moves you,
what would it be?
Any Marvel movie; pure escapism that I
can enjoy with my family.
NEWSLINK n AUGUST 2021
Tragedy drives ADIs to raise cash to
help underprivileged youngsters
A group of ADIs have used the tragic
death of a close friend to inspire them
to raise money to help underprivileged
teenagers through their
driving test.
The McLaughlin Driving
Scholarship was set up in Oct 2020
in memory of ADI George
McLaughlin, who died sadly in May
2020. It was initially launched with a
view to putting George’s grandson
Jack through his test, which was his
plan before retiring. However, as
donations poured in from local ADIs,
friends, MSA GB and George’s family,
we realised we could help more
underprivileged youths who perhaps
weren’t in the financial position to
pay for driving lessons, or who had
had to deal with misfortune in their
young lives to learn the important life
Western AGM and training day
skill of driving.
As part of our fundraising we held a
sponsored walk in June of this year
which raised an amazing £1,800.
After getting the East Kilbride Boys’
Brigade involved in the walk, as well
as ADIs and friends, we raised
enough money to fund a learning to
drive scholarship for one of the BB
boys who had gone through a
traumatic few years. He was thrilled
with the chance to learn to drive.
So far we have raised over £3,500
and are happy to report we are now
looking for a third candidate for a
scholarship.
If you like what you have read and
are able to donate the cost of a lesson
to support our efforts, you can do so
by emailing Susan Miller at sm-cs@
hotmail.com
MSA GB Western: Members please note that we hope to run our traditional
area conference and AGM this year as an in-person event, rather than by
Zoom.
The committee hopes we can all get together on Monday, 8th November
2021, at Oake Manor Golf Club, near Taunton.
Obviously, any plans will be dependent on Covid-19 rules at the time, but
the hope at this stage is for an all-day event, with keynote speakers, Q&A
and chances for networking and discussing the key issues with your fellow
instructors.
More details on speakers and how to book will be available shortly.
We will contact all local members direct, or keep an eye on the MSAGB
Western area Facebook page.
37

Membership
Members’ discounts and benefits
MSA GB has organised a number of exclusive discounts and offers for members. More details can be found on our website at
www.msagb.com and click on the Member Discounts logo. To access these benefits, simply log in and click on the Member
discount logo, then click the link at the bottom of the page to allow you to obtain your special discounts.
Please note, non-members will be required to join the association first. Terms and conditions apply
Ford launches special offer
for MSA GB members
Some exciting news for members: Ford has partnered with
MSA GB to offer exclusive discounts on all car and
commercial Ford vehicles.
Take a look at the Ford website www.ford.co.uk for vehicle
and specification information.
For further information, to view frequently asked questions,
to request a quote and to access the member discount
codes, please go to the Members’ Benefits page on the MSA
GB website and follow the Ford link.
Please note these discounts are only available to MSA GB
members and their immediate family if they are members
who pay annually.
ACCOUNTANCY
MSA GB’s Recommended
Accountancy Service, FBTC
offers a specialist service for
driving instructors. It has been
established over 20 years ago and
covers the whole of the UK. The team takes
pride in providing unlimited advice and
support to ensure the completion of your tax
return is hassle free, giving you peace of mind.
MSA GB OFFER:: FBTC will prepare you for
Making Tax Digital and will be providing
HMRC compliant software to all clients very
soon. Join now to receive three months free.
ADVANCE DRIVING
AND RIDING
IAM RoadSmart, the UK’s
largest road safety charity, is
proud to partner with the
Motor Schools Association GB in
order to work together to make our roads
safer through driver skills and knowledge
development.
MSA GB OFFER:: Enjoy a 20% saving on our
Advanced Driver Course for members.
BOOKKEEPING
Easy-to-use bookkeeping & tax spreadsheets
designed specifically for driving instructors. It
will reduce the time you need to spend on
record-keeping. Simply enter details of your fee
income and expenses throughout the year and
your trading profit, tax & national insurance
liability are automatically calculated.
MSA GB OFFER:: We’re proud to offer all MSA
GB members 25% discount.
CAR AIR FRESHENERS / CANDLES
Mandles’ handmade scented collections use
quality ingredients to ensure
superior scent throw from all
its candles and diffusers.
Check our our website for
further details.
MSA GB OFFER:: Special discount
of 20% on all car air fresheners and refills.
CARD PAYMENTS
MSA GB and SumUp believe in
supporting motor vehicle
trainers of all shapes and sizes.
Together we are on a mission to
ease the operational workload of our members
by providing them with the ability to take card
payments on-the-go or in their respective
training centres. SumUp readers are durable
and user-friendly. Their paperless onboarding is
quick and efficient. Moreover, their offer comes
with no monthly subscription, no contractual
agreement, no support fees, no hidden fees
– just the one-off cost for the reader coupled
with lowest on the market transaction fee.
MSA GB OFFER:: We are offering MSA GB
members discounted 3G reader.
CPD & TRAINING
COURSES
As part of its new relationship
with MSA GB, Tri-Coaching is
delighted to offer a massive
20% discount across the board on all our
training products and courses, exclusively to
MSA GB Members.
MSA GB OFFER: 20% off all Tri-Coaching
courses.
DISABILITY AIDS
Driving shouldn’t just be a
privilege for people without
disabilities; it should be
accessible for all and there’s
never been an easier time to make
this the case! MSA GB members can take
advantage of BAS’s Driving Instructor
Packages which include a range of adaptations
at a discounted price, suitable for teaching
disabled learner drivers.
MSA GB OFFER: Special Driving Instructor
Packages for MSA members.
HEALTH / FINANCE COVER
The Motor Schools Association of Great Britain
has agreed with HMCA to offer discounted
rates for medical plans, dental plan, hospital
cash plans, personal accident
plan, travel plan, income
protection and vehicle
breakdown products.
MSA GB OFFER: HMCA only
offer medical plans to
membership groups and can offer up to a
40% discount off the underwriter’s standard
rates. This is a comprehensive plan which
provides generous cash benefits for surgery
and other charges.
To get the full story of
the discounts available,
see www.msagb.com
38 NEWSLINK n AUGUST 2021

For all the latest news, see www.msagb.com
Membership offer
Welcome new ADIs
We’ve a special introductory offer for you!
PUPIL INSURANCE
Help your pupils private practice
by signing them up to
Collingwood’s instructor
affiliate programme.
MSA GB OFFER:: £50 for your
first referral and a chance to
win £100 of High Street vouchers!
PSYCHOLOGY TRAINING
Confident Drivers has the only
website created especially for
drivers offering eight different
psychological techniques
commonly used to reduce
stress and nerves.
MSA GB OFFER: One month free on a
monthly subscription plan using coupon code.
PUPIL SOURCING
Go Roadie provides students
when they need them, with
all the details you need
before you accept. Control
your own pricing, discounts
and set your availability to suit
you. Full diary? No cost!
MSA GB OFFER: Introductory offer of 50%
off the first three students they accept.
TYRES
VRedestein’s impressive range
of tyres includes the awardwinning
Quatrac 5 and the
new Quatrac Pro – offering
year-round safety and
performance.
MSA GB OFFER: 10% discount on
purchases across our tyre ranges.
Congratulations on passing your
Part 3 and becoming an ADI.
There’s an exciting career
open to you from today.
It’s one that is alive with
possibilities as you build
your skills, your client
base and your income.
But for all the excitement,
it can also be a
challenging profession. Who
can you turn to if you’re
struggling to get over key driver
training issues to a pupil? Where can you
go to soak up advice from more
experienced ADIs? Who will help you if
you are caught up in a dispute with the
DVSA? If the worst happens, who can
you turn to for help, advice and to fight
your corner?
The answer is the Motor Schools
Association of Great Britain – MSA GB
for short.
We are the most senior association
representing driving instructors in Great
Britain. Establised in 1935 when the
first driving test was introduced, MSA GB
has been working tirelessly ever since on
behalf of ordinary rank and file ADIs.
We represent your interests and your
views in the corridors of power, holding
regular meetings with senior officials
from the DVSA and the Department for
Transport to make sure the ADIs’ voice is
heard.
We’d like you to join us
We’re there to support you every
step of the way. Our officebased
staff are there, five
days a week, from 9am-
5.30pm, ready to answer
your call and help you in
any way.
In addition our network of
experienced office holders
and regional officers can offer
advice over the phone or by email.
But membership of the MSA GB doesn’t
just mean we’re there for you if you’re in
trouble. We also offer a nationwide
network of regular meetings, seminars
and training events, an Annual
Conference, and a chance to participate
in MSA GB affairs through our
democratic structure
In addition, you’ll get a free link to our
membership magazine Newslink every
month, with all the latest news, views,
comment and advice you’ll need to
become a successful driving instructor.
You’ll also automatically receive
professional indemnity insurance worth
up to £5m and £10m public liability
insurance free of charge.
This is essential legal protection covering
you against legal claims ariving from your
tuition.
So join us today: No joining fee,
saving you £15 – all for just £70!
SPECIAL OFFER
Join MSA GB today!
No joining fee, saving £15
Call 0800 0265986 quoting
discount code Newslink, or join
online at www.msagb.com
To get the full story of
the discounts available,
see www.msagb.com
£70
Just
for 12 months membership
NEWSLINK n AUGUST 2021 39